Nightmares
by An Xmen Member
Summary: How does one survive when a powerful ninja like him can't seem to shake these weird nightmares?
1. Nightmare

Disclaimer: I don not own Naruto, Naruto Shippuuden or any of its respective outcroppings such as brands or characters. Please do not expect me to write a disclaimer on every chapter because it's not happening

Naruto leaped over the huge fireball that had been hurled at him and dodged the kunai that had came at him behind, his Sage Mode made his senses almost on par with that of the most skilled Sharingan or Byakugan user. a punch came from a small...very small blindspot connecting across Naruto's face, of course the flow of nature chakra was keeping him very resistant to injury, he still felt the punch nonetheless, he parried the following strike and fended his assailant off.

"You've gotten to be so strong...Naruto Uzumaki," Sasuke Uchiha said while picking up his sword. "Yeah, well you've been no slouch either Sasuke." Naruto gave Sasuke one of his trademark smiles. Sasuke let out a breathe and cracked his neck. "That new form of yours, I still haven't figured out what exactly it is..." Sasuke trailed off.

"This here, this is pinnacle of my training my greatest achievement!," Sasuke replied rather quickly, "It seems you got a bigger vocabulary as well," Sasuke let out a snide smirk. He stretched forward his Chokuto, ready for the nexr scuffle in what could possibly be his and Naruto's final confrontation after years of speculation..

"It was...so long ago that I killed my brother, 5 years now, I still seem to wonder 'what have I done with my life?' I can't help but think that. But I guess you never had to worry about that, after all, you'll soon be hokage of Konoha, am I right?" Naruto looked at Sasuke and said, "Yes, but that's not for another few months until the higher ups get used to a Jinchuuriki being the boss around the place..." Naruto was hoping to continue his rambling but Sasuke interupted him, "Naruto, perhaps we should dispense with the chit-chat and do what we came here to do, after all, it is our destiny, it is what _he _decided."

Naruto looked a little upset from Sasuke's interuption but knew it had to happen sometime, he had tried nogotiation in the past but it would never work nor would it last for very long, this had to happen, and it had to happen right here, right now. So Naruto took the scroll from his back and unraveled it.

"Shuriken Summoning Jutsu!," A large fan shaped shuriken appeared from the many markings on the scroll and Naruto hurled with his hurcelean Sage strength. Sasuke was able to anticipate its trajectory via Sharingan and was able to dodge, what he didn't count on, was the shuriken exploding under him while he was in mid-air and a shadow clone of Naruto jumped from the smoke and swing a kunai at Sasuke, but he blocked it with his Chokuto.

Sasuke destroyed the clone with a swipe of Chidori and shot a spray of Chidori Senbon at the real Naruto. He pulled out his own Kunai and was able to cut through all the needles with the natural chakra surging through the iron blade. He then threw the blade at Sasuke and then made a combination of handsigns, "Water Style: Aqua Bullets!" Naruto started to spit high velocity water bullets at Sasuke.

"You can use water style?!," Sasuke jumped backward and dodged into the trees, watching the water bullets rip through the trees like nothing. He jumped into the branches jumping away from every volley that came his way. He turned around to use one his many iterations of Chidori but Naruto teleported behind him and have him a left hook which sent him flying into the ground.

Sasuke countered the blow with a swipe of his Chokuto, leaving a cut on Naruto's left forearm and cheek. Naruto replied the hit with a kick but Sasuke jumped over and connecting with a sweeping kick to Naruto's face, turning him completely around, Sasuke capitalized by striking him in the back with a fistful of Chidori. Sasuke pulled the blade of lightning from his back and Naruto fell forward.

"Seems that form of yours didn't get the best of me this time around" Sasuke said with a patronizing tone in his voice. "No, I guess not, but then again..."Naruto trailed off. A shadow clone bursted from the ground, "Even in the middle of that, he was able to make a handsign?," the clone hit Sasuke in the chest with Rasengan, Sasuke was enveloped in the hurricane of chakra and the giant orb of energy carried him away from Naruto and into a group of trees. Needless to say, the trees were destroyed but were sturdy enough to stop the blast's progression.

Sasuke spit a few drops of blood from his mouth and caught his breathe. He was injured, no doubt about it, just the fact that it was a shadow clone and the Rasengan wasn't anywhere near its full power was most likely the only reason he was breathing at the moment. Sasuke picked up his trusty sword. "This is rediculous, what do I have to do to take this damn toad sage down!?," Sasuke made his own combination of handsigns.

"Fire Style: Lion's Fang Jutsu!," Sasuke spit a barrage of Lion shaped fireballs at Naruto, he stepped forward and thrusted a Rasengan into the biggest one, it exploded into hundreds of small fire strands, they wrapped around and then exploded. The other fireballs soon gathered and exploded into the smoke. Sasuke saw the ground in front start to break apart and move toward at blazing speed. He dug hand into the ground, "Chidori Current!"

Sasuke shot multiple lightning strikes into the ground, hoping to hit Naruto with one of them. Naruto bursted from the ground and mounted an offensive attack on Sasuke but Sasuke was too quick and parried his strike and impaled Naruto on his Chokuto, Naruto exploded into smoke and reappeared behind with a Rasengan in his hand. Sasuke spun around and struck blindly with a specially charged Chidori.

Chidori and Rasengan clashed like they did during Naruto and Sasuke's first battle, in the valley of the end. The immediate area was being affected by stray lightning bolts and wind bursts flying in every different direction. They bothed pushed with all their might, but either one would not budge. Sasuke started to be pushed back so he did something drastic, he made Chidori in his other hand and dug it into Naruto's arm, breaking his hold on his Rasengan, it dissaparated and Sasuke lunged forward and hit Naruto with his Chidori and then capitalized by hitting him with his other Chidori.

Naruto was injured, he didn't suspect Sasuke could create a Chidori in both hands. Naruto swung himself forward and headbutted Sasuke, "Fuck!" Sasuke screamed as the hit knocked him some ways backwards. There were stars clouding his vision but Naruto could see, and Naruto attacked and unleashed a flurry of brutal Taijutsu attacks on Sasuke, the final hit knocking him into some trees.

"Sasuke must this really be how it is? We don't have to do this." Naruto pleaded. "It does, it does have to be this way, we are destined to kill one another. That is our destiny, our fate, what we were born to do, you, a descendant of the Senju and I, an Uchiha, our families are destined to hate and fight each other until the end of time. Nothing will change that, NARUTO!"

Sasuke made another combination of handsigns and raised his hands towards the sky which was now darkening, foreshadowing the coming of a storm, a lightning storm.

"What are you doing, Sasuke?," Naruto asked adamantly. "You want to know what I'm doing? I'm gonna finish you with the attack I made to kill...Itachi..." Naruto stepped backward, "Sasuke leave it alone, this doesn't have to happen, we can end it right here" Sasuke replied with a resounding "We will end it right here, right here, right now, I will end your life and maybe bring this horrid fued between our families to an end..."

"You think this will change anything, if we kill each other, our children and their children and their children will never reconcile, will never be a family to one another. This will just make it worse.," Naruto finished his explanation, finally understanding that Sasuke would never back down, Neither would he, Naruto would not give up his endeavor and realized that only way to stop his best friend would be the thing he feared the most, killing his friend.

"I hoped it wouldn't have to come to this...," thought Naruto. He summoned 2 shadow clones next to him and they started to create Naruto's ultimate attack. "Things...didn't have to be this way...Sasuke...Uchiha...my friend...my brother..." The familiar jet engine roar of the Rasen-Shuriken filled the air and the coming storm started to produce lightning.

"Now Naruto, now this is where it ends, where everything ends for one of us, and something begins for the other. I hope you're ready, Naruto Uzumaki," Sasuke finished another handsign and strike of lightning from the sky curled around his arm.

"What is that?," Naruto asked.

"This...this is Kirin"

Naruto readied his attack and headed full force at Sasuke. Sasuke just brought his hand down like a axe and the large lightning strike ripped through the sky straight down on him, out of reflex, Naruto swung the Shuriken up in the air to defend himself. Soon a clash of amazing energy ensued. Kirin v.s. Rasen-Shuriken.

"What?" Sasuke said to himself with anger in his voice. He started using more chakra, summong more lightning to collectively rip through the Rasen-Shuriken. Naruto was doing more than holding his own, he was slowly but surely being able to straighten his legs and stand straight up, the Rasen-Shuriken spinning at near light speed eating up the lightning as fast as it recovered. The whole sky was painted blue and white and purple from the epic clash of power that was taking place.

"Just a little more," Naruto said, while pushing more chakra out. The thing is about using natural chakra was that as long there was a Earth to supply him with her power, his energies were nearly limitless, as long he could maintain Sage Mode. Sasuke didn't have such a clean break, his chakra was dropping dramatically, if he didn't hit Naruto with the attack now, all would be lost.

Sasuke readied his Chokuto in his other hand and channeled the energy from the stream of the Kirin into his Chokuto, the Kirin strike bearing down on Naruto started to fade away completely when Naruto swung around and met his Rasen-Shuriken with Sasuke's sword of pure lightning; being fueled by the sky itself. The sword and Rasen-Shuriken met with ferocious intensity.

Sasuke dug the tip of the sword straight into the orb in the center, hoping for a weak spot. Naruto pushed forward and Sasuke pushed back, neither attack would show any sign of weakening. Sasuke slammed his foot and ground, 'Chidori current!," the electric energy bursted from the ground and struck Naruto. He was withstanding the onslaught from the Chidori current and still pushing the Rasen-Shuriken. Naruto made a symbol with his free hand, a shadow clone appeared behind Sasuke a threw numerous kunai into Sasuke's back, he let a scream and a stray energy bolt from Sasuke hit the clone and destroyed it, Sasuke then shot Chidori Senbon from the ground and struck Naruto's free hand, all the nerves were numbed, Naruto couldn't summon anymore clones to help him.

Sasuke was nearly out of chakra, if he didn't have any chakra to control the Kirin, it would explode in his face. Sasuke did something...drastic...he energized his other hand with with what little Chakra he had left thrusted his arm into the Rasen-Shuriken, with his bare hand, he turned Naruto sideway and spun himself, removing the Chokuto from the Shuriken and dug into Naruto.

Naruto returned by hitting Sasuke with his Rasen-Shuriken, both chakras became quickly unstable from channeling into one another and a large, bright, white-blue explosion happened between them.

When the dust subsided only one form was seen visibly through the smoke that person was...

**ONE YEAR EARLIER**

"Awww come on Sakura, again with this?" Naruto questioned. "Yes again with this. How do you expect to be Hokage if you don't know any medical ninjutsu?"

"I was kinda hoping you or Ino would always be there...heh heh heh," Naruto said. "You mean you would rather have Ino around than me!?" Sakura asked adamantly.** "**well..." Naruto continued, "Ino is alot nicer to me than you are..." Naruto's reply was met with a punch in the face.

"I can't believe you'd say that to me, you asshole..." Sakura turned and walked away.

Naruto felt that he hurt Sakura's feelings so he got back up and ran to her. "What is it now?" Sakura demanded. "Sakura, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings..." Naruto trailed on. "I'm fine Naruto, really, don't worry about it"

"It's when a girl tells me not to worry about it is when I start to worry"

Sakura turned back to him and said "Everything is fine okay? Please don't worry about it, nothing wrong, you got nothing to worry about." Sakura turned and leaped onto a roof and ran away. Naruto was was now worried even more, what with the inconsistency of Sakura's explanation.

"I guess I'll have to talk to her another time when she isn't in such a shitty mood. If that will be this month, I hope." Naruto bemoaned his bad luck. He walked back to his place, all by lonesome. So since he had a free minute and nobody was around, he decided to go take a nap.

While Naruto was asleep, he was again seiged by a number of nightmares. Nightmares that seem to plaque him for no apparent reason. He decided to go see the experts in psychological stuff, in other words, the Yamanaka clan.

The next day, Naruto went to Ino's front door. "What is it Naruto?" Ino asked expectantly. Ever since Naruto came back to the village, she had developed kind of a crush on him, how could anyone blame her, Naruto matured quite nicely, he became a quite a handsome young man.

"Ino, I wondering if you could help me with something?" Naruto asked. Ino replied with a curious "Sure what do you need?". Ino led him inside her home, showed him a few rooms on the way to a sitting room. "Naruto, maybe we could go talk in my room?" Ino asked expectantly. Naruto looked back at her quizically, "What for?," Ino replied quickly, "Well this little nightmare problem should be between us huh? Maybe everyone knowing your little problem might restrict you from ninja duties if the village thinks your not psychologically fit".

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Ino took Naruto's hand and led him upstairs to the farthest room on the left. Naruto walked into the room, the walls were painted a sage minty green color. There were violet curtains on the window. On the far side of the room, there was a queen size bed. There was also a small TV, a radio, a few botany and jutsu scrolls, a picture of her old team with Shikamaru, Choji, and...Asuma.

Ino sat him down in a chair next to her bed and she set cross-legged on the edge of her bed. "So...." Ino continued, "Tell me some more of what's going on."

"Well it started a few weeks ago, see...I've been getting alot of solo missions lately and doing them pretty frequently and on one mission, I fell asleep during an operation, thank god there was an ANBU ops member in the area, the enemy would've slit my throat if he didn't find me. Anyway, after that, every night I have recurring nightmares of all my friends on different missions and it ends the same way, Sasuke is there...and he's been turned into Orochimaru's slave and he kills them, I don't know what to do..."

Ino nodded and said, "Well without a doubt Sasuke is the cause of your nightmares, another possible cause is you getting promoted to solo missions now, which must be hard for you considering you are so used to 4-man cell squads. It seems that both these interwining with the fact you were on Team 7 with Sasuke and now he's gone might've been the straw that broke the camel's back."

"So what should I do?"

"I would suggest maybe taking a little vacation, get your head together, try to be around other people. I know how good friends you and Sasuke were but...Naruto, you got to understand, he's not the same person we knew anymore, anger and hatred absorbed him, his body, his mind, his soul, he's just a shell of a man that lives only for vengeance, and even going so far as to give his own life to attain it."

"Ino, I can't believe that, I know he can change, I know _I _can change him...someday."

Ino sat and stared and Naruto, small bags under his eyes made it apparent that Naruto's problems were alot more prevalent than he made it appear. Ino couldn't help but feel concerned for him. He was her good friend and she had more...evolved feelings regarding him.

Ino leaned forward and put her hand on his face and caressed his face and ran her hand through his hair.

"Ummm...wow...Ino," Naruto thought.

"Naruto...please take it easy okay?"

Naruto looked in her eyes, her eyes were as blue as his. "Okay Ino, I'll see you later, okay?"

Ino nodded.

Naruto stood up and walked out. Ino stopped him and "Naruto, if you need to talk again, feel free to come and visit me, We'll have some ramen..." Ino finished her sentence with a smile. Naruto looked back at her with a smile, "Sure, anytime."

Naruto walked out of her home and made his way down the street. "Ino made a good point maybe I should just take it easy. I need to relax. I think I'll just take rest, get everything together, I'm sure everything will be fine..." Naruto stopped and touched his face, "Ino, she touched me...hmm..."

Naruto couldn't seem to get Ino out of his mind, she had matured into a gorgeous young woman, alot like Hinata and Sakura but Ino was different, she was so kind and yet mean to Naruto at points in his life. She made him feel bad about bwing himself, unlike Sakura, who scolded him and lectured him on how to act at every turn. Naruto wondered if maybe Ino harbored any...internal emotions toward him, he doubted it though, if he thought every girl that was nice to him was in love with him, he'd be the world's sexiest man...or something to that effect. (Author LOLZ)

Naruto jumped onto his apartment complex and walked into his apartment and laid down on the bed. "Just gotta not think about Sasuke and missions, just got to not thinnk Sasuke or missions...just got...to think...about..." Naruto drifted off to sleep.

Naruto woke up a few hours later, it was dark outside, no wonder since it was in the middle of December. The radio that morning did mention it would have been a very cold night tonight. Naruto got up and got another quilt from the closet and wrapped up on the bed. He made a few handsigns and shot a fireball from his mouth into a few lamps to warm the place up. After mastering his Sage Mode, Naruto started to gain affinity with other elements, now he was able to use all 5 elements, wind, of course was still his primary weapon since it is his original attribute.

He got up and walked into the hallway across from his bathroom. He passed by a picture, a picture of him and Ino on her birthday. He had almost forgotten it was there unless for today, regarding what happened between him and her in her bedroom. She was wearing a silk kimono, as is custom, she looked...beautiful, Naruto thought. Naruto couldn't seem to make heads or tails of his feeling regarding the ladies in his life.

He heard a knock at the door, he wondered who it could be in the middle in the night. He said that he was on the way. After about 45 seconds he opened the door and he was greeted with a punch in face, Naruto was knocked into the opposite wall. The figure ran into the apartment, flipping over a lamp and table, starting to set fire to the bed. Naruto jumped up and swung a kunai at the assailant. He dodged the knife and swung another punch. Naruto grabbed his arm and through through the wall, into the bathroom.

Naruto ran through the hole in his wall and grabbed the man in black and smashed him into the tile wall. The masked figure threw a smoke pellet in his face, which spread fast in such a small room, Naruto tripped over the bathtub and the man grabbed his neck and started to drown him in the toilet. Naruto was glad he flushed last time he used the bathroom.

Naruto was able to wrestle himself free and punch the masked man in the chest and stomach with a louad thud with every punch. He picked him over his head and threw him into the medicine cabinet. The man picked up a shard of glass from the mirror, he threw it into Naruto's shoulder, Naruto let out a loud yelp. He got up and made a combination of handsigns, he inhaled and let out spit a large fireball enveloping the whole bathroom and blowing Naruto into the next room over, which was his next door neighbor's bedroom.

"Sorry!" Naruto yelled to the man laying in bed. The masked ninja jumped into the room and swung around and kicked Naruto in the face. "Shit, if only I could have a few seconds to gather natural chakra..."

The masked man headbutted Naruto and punched him in the face. Naruto caught the next punch and headbutted him back kneed him in the stomach and grabbed him by the head and pulled him up with all his might and swung him forward and then down, suplexing him into a table. Naruto picked up one of the table legs and broke it over his head and grabbed his arm and whipped him into the wall. Naruto picked up the other table leg and threw it at him, the unidentifiable person ducked and a table leg was stuck halfway into the wall where his head was.

"What do you want with me? Answer me now!"

The masked man stood up straight and brushed off some drywall from his shoulders. He finally said "This is nothing personal, this is just what I was paid to do."

"Paid? By who?"

"It seems someone wants you dead boy. I don't remember his name but he has a certain distaste for Konoha, I don't know...he said to find one the strongest shinobi in the village and kill him. Since I hear your name alot on the street, I guess I'd make you my target."

Naruto made a handsign, "That is the stupidest shit I've ever heard." A few shadow clones appeared and rushed the masked man, he swung forward and stabbed them both on kunai, destroying them, Naruto threw another table leg since he didn't have a kunai pouch. He dodged it and threw a kunai, Naruto kicked up the last table leg in the air, which took the kunai throw. Naruto grabbed the leg and the knife and swung, throwing the table leg, and then swinging around again and throwing the knife.

The man was able to dodge it barely but was scratched on his arm. Naruto lunged forward and punched him in the face with all his might and started kneeing him repeatedly in the stomach and then headbutted him. The masked man wrapped his legs around Naruto and brought him down with his weight and catapulted him into the wall. He ran forward and drop kicked Naruto into the kitchen. The man made a combination of handsigns, he released another large explosive fireball into the compact kitchen.

The room exploded, the walls nearly giving out. The masked man ran into the kitchen with a kunai knife in his hand.

"Where did he go...?"

Naruto jumped out of the refrigerator, ripping off the door with him, slamming him with the fridge door, and then rushing him using it as a battering ram, slamming the Masked man into the wall. Naruto let go of the door and stretched his hand out. Blue chakra started to swirl into his hand.

"Rasengan!"

Naruto dug the Rasengan through the fridge door into the masked man, the door was broken in half, leaving the masked man to take the fury of the Rasengan. The masked man was enveloped by the Rasengan and tore down the wall like paper back into Naruto's now burning apartment. Naruto pushed him into the now epicenter the burning building. The energy subsided and the masked man was what once was Naruto's cubby but was now embering splinters.

Naruto picked him up by the scruff of his shirt. "Now tell me, who hired you?"

The masked man looked up at him, Naruto could not see his eyes through the full head covering mask. The masked man dug into the pouch and threw a cylindrical object into an object, it exploded into white chaff completely blinding Naruto. After a few minutes his vision returned and saw that the masked man was gone.

Naruto looked around and saw that the building could not be saved so he jumped through the window and landed in a dumpster. He crawled and made his way to the street in front of it. There were already fire squads using numerous water jutsus to destroy the fire.

Neji appeared behind him, "Naruto, what happened here?" Naruto turned to him, " I don't know, Neji, I answered the door and I was attacked by some pyscho that said he was paid to attack me, as you could see..." Naruto pulled out the shard of glass in his shoulder, "He wasn't easy to get rid of." Neji replied, "Did he say anything else? How did he get away?" Naruto answered, "No, nothing else, and he kinda threw a flashbang in my face after I hit him with Rasengan."Neji replied jokingly, "No wonder he ran away."

Sakura had gotten there as well, "Naruto are you okay?" Naruto turned and said, "Sure I am, just a few scratches, I'm fine." Sakura sighed, "That's good..."

"Yeah, I suppose so, but now I have no house!"

Sakura said, "Don't you have anywhere to go?" Naruto looked back at her.

"Yeah, I know a place"


	2. Finding something to do

Nightmares (cont.)

"So where is it that you're going?" Sakura asked. Naruto replied, "I know someone, don't worry about it." Naruto smiled and laughed and gave them a peace sign and turned and disappeared into a alley. Naruto jumped onto a roof and took a breathe of fresh air, partly because his nose was full of soot and drywall from his death match with the masked man. Naruto looked down at the ground under him and jumped down onto the ground. "I hope it isn't too late at night," Naruto walked toward the front gate.

"Naruto Uzumaki, can I help you?" asked Inoichi Yamanaka. Naruto turned in surprise, "Oh hello, Mr. Inoichi, nice night huh?" Inoichi walked forward toward him and said "Yeah, real nice, well...take it easy." Inoichi opened the main gate and made note that Naruto saw him close the gate. "Guess I'm not as welcome as I thought." Naruto sighed and turned around.

"Naruto!" Naruto stopped and looked around and a hand pushed him forward. "What are doing here this late?" asked Ino, who was in her pajamas. Naruto turned around and Ino noticed all of his scratches and his bloody shoulder. "What the hell happened to you?", "Gee, I guess you guys don't hear news all the way on this side of town." Ino started to get alittle bit agitated, "What are you talking about?"

"Well, in a nutshell, I was attacked by a nutcase and my apartment building was burned down during the fight."

Ino said, "Is that all?" Naruto replied, "Pretty much," with a smile. Ino brushed her hair back and smiled. She stepped forward, "Hold still," Ino placed her hands on his shoulder. A large green aura appeared around his shoulder, within seconds his shoulder was fully healed.

"Thanks...Ino," Naruto said with a meek look. Ino looked up at him, noticing how much taller he was than her. "No prob, Naruto." Ino turned around and started to head back inside when she heard a loud growling sound. "The fuck was that?" Ino asked. Naruto blushed, Ino realized that it came from Naruto's stomach. Ino smiled and said, "Hungry?"

Ino led him into her kitchen and sat him down. She handed him a hot plate with a roast beef and melted cheese sandwich. Naruto started eating and noticed that Ino was watching him eat. "Is something wrong?" Naruto asked. Ino came back to Earth and said "No nothing's wrong...heh heh heh." Naruto finished eating the sandwich, he handed her the plate and she threw in the sink. 'Thanks, Ino, I really needed that." Ino looked into his eyes and said "No...problem." Ino realized she was staring too hard and quickly turned away.

"Naruto, do you have anywhere to stay?"

Naruto replied, "No."

"Well then, come with me." Ino grabbed his arm and led him upstairs into a room that seemed to be a secret room. "Where are we?" Naruto inquired. "This old place is older than it looks, it was here before the Yamanaka clan got here. So I explore around when I'm bored and I find these old rooms, I'd imagine they were hide from invaders if any got in the place. So I've secretly been furnishing them and hiding out in 'em myself when I need some time to myself. So you can sleep in here, I hope everything is okay for you?"

Naruto stepped into the room and saw a bed, some dressers, a radio, a small crawlspace into what looked like a bathroom, and some old pictures on the wall. "I think I'll be fine, Ino." Ino glowed with a smile, "That is great to hear, listen if you need anything, anything at all, I'm right next door, just push into the corners of the door." She turned and started to walk away, "Ino..." She turned around, Naruto had gotten up and said "Thank you, for doing this." Ino winked at him and said "My pleasure." She turned back around and crawled through the hole in the wall.

Naruto sighed and plopped himself onto the bed, it was comfortable, very comfortable. He took off his jacket and laid down again, he closed his eyes and fell asleep, and for once in a good while, he didn't have a nightmare.

Morning eventually came, and with it, complete rejuvenation of the injuries Ino didn't heal, just another perk of the Kyuubi's amazing chakra. Naruto walked into the cramped bathroom and took a whiz, while he did, he wondered if Ino had woken up yet. He walked out searched for a clock. He finally found one saying 6:42. It was still pretty early in the morning and doubted Ino would be up at this time. Naruto decided to take advantage of this time alone to train himself in his sage ways.

He walked into the center of the room and sat down. He took a meditating stance and remained motionless. He slowly felt his nostrils clear and his hair get light. He felt massive energy flooding his body, becoming one with him. He felt the chakras of Fire, Water, Earth, Lightning, and Air. He was slowly transforming into his sage form, he opened his eyes and his eyes had turned into the frog eyes. His muscles started to loosen, he felt amazing chakra coursing through his veins. Somewhere he felt the Kyuubi pissing and moaning about him not using his power.

Naruto couldn't help but smile at the Kyuubi getting upset. Soon he heard something on the other side of the house. His senses had increased in potency 20 fold. He heard the servants waking up for their rounds. He heard birds chirping on the roof. He could hear his whole surroundings coming to life. Soon he heard something scuffling in the crawlspace door, he stood up hoping it wasn't someone who happened to stumble upon the door.

Ino crawled into the room holding a tray. She fell over a board, falling to the floor and the tray banging into the floor as well. Naruto rushed over and picked her up, easily with his super sage strength, may I add. Ino noticed his frog eyes and freaked out, "Naruto, what's wrong with your face?"

Naruto figured out what she was talking about, she had never seen him in Sage Mode before. "This is just a technique I was taught..." He quickly reverted back into normal form. Ino couldn't help but touch his face, "You look better that way...," Naruto replied "Well I don't worry about that when someone is trying to kill me...heheheheh."

Ino bent down and picked up the tray, "Good, it's not messed up." She turned around and gave him a bowl of hot ramen. "Awesome!" Naruto hurriedly took the bowl of ramen and sat down and started eating it. "Is it good? I made it myself." Ino said. Naruto smiled, "Yeah, it's delicious, better than Ichiraku's" and then he swallowed the broth. Naruto put the bowl down on the table.

Ino sat down next to him "So what are you gonna do?" she asked. "I don't know, maybe find a new place to live..."

"Well, as long as you want, you can stay here." Naruto replied, "I don't think I could impose on you for very long." Ino smiled and without knowing she did it, she rested her head on his shoulder "Don't worry about it, you can stay here as long as you have to." Ino said.

Naruto picked up her head in his hands, he looked into her deep blue eyes. She looked into his, without them even knowing it, their lips starting to grow ever so closer. Their lips were barely teasing each others with the smallest touch, they were about to kiss when Naruto heard banging around and someone looking for Ino. "That's my dad." Ino ran out of the crawlspace very quickly and closed the entrance behind her.

Naruto traced his finger on his lips, what would've been touching his lips right now if it wasn't for that little interruption. He laid back down on the bed, and sighed and threw himself back up, he grabbed his jacket and swung it on. He made a handsign and teleported out of the room. He reappeared on a tall building and looked down at the buildings. Hoping to spot a vacancy sign, after what happened, or what nearly happened that morning, staying with Ino was out of the question.

He jumped down and walked into a building with a vacancy sign, in which case he was quickly shooed out since people don't want the Kyuubi child living in their buildings, not to mention people attacking him through his front door and blowing up the building. Naruto sighed and looked around some more. He walked up to some bulletin boards hoping to find a ad in any of the papers. He found some promising places and he went to all of them. He was quickly kicked out of all the places, when he got to the last place on his list, he said "Better at least try..."

Naruto walked in the building, and was quickly greeted by a nice old lady. "Excuse me, I would like to ask you about possibly renting your available space..." Naruto quickly said first. The old lady responded, "Well rent is 850 a month, you have to pay this month and last month. Think you can handle it?" Naruto smiled and replied, "Sure, I can pay it." Naruto pulled out his money pouch and paid the old woman in cash. "Hmm, to have cash like that, you must be a ninja, right?" the old lady asked. Naruto replied, "Yeah, you got me."

Naruto walked out of the admissions office and walked up the road to his place, it was out of way for sure but it was a nice place, well kept and good facilities. Naruto was so happy, there was only one person he wanted to tell about it. He turned and ran to the Yamanaka estate. He knocked on the door and her father answered the door.

"Hi." Said Naruto...stupidly. "Can I help you?" Naruto replied, "Well I was hoping to speak with Ino, is she available?" It was Ino's father, Inoichi that answered the door and he said, "No, I'm afraid not, she got sent on a mission this morning." Naruto quickly felt sad that she wasn't there. "Any idea when she'll be back?" Inoichi replied, "No young man, not a clue, It's an A-rank mission after all you never know when those things end." Naruto replied with a surprised, "Really, an A-rank mission, at her age?" Inoichi replied, "Well she's with some highly skilled shinobi, she'll be fine if she follows instructions and does what she does best. If that will be all, I got a mountain of paperwork I got to take care of so goodbye, Naruto." Inoichi closed the door on Naruto before he could say anything.

Naruto turned and walked off the front porch of the estate. He felt surprisingly sad that Ino wasn't there. And Inoichi was right, there was no telling when she would be back. He walked into Ichiraku's for some ramen, he sat down at the bench and just got the first thing he saw on the menu, little did he know, what he was served was the same kind of dish Ino made for him that morning, he could suddenly remember them sitting together in the darkness, her head on his shoulder, and their lips almost touching.

Naruto couldn't help but blush. He decided to make his way back to his new place and check the place out some more. He arrived quickly and went inside, everything was definitely clean and the last people that were here certainly took care of it. He made his way into the bedroom which was already furnished with a bed and dresser and all that stuff. He walked in and laid down on his bed. It wasn't as comfortable as the bed at Ino's, he almost felt like sneaking back here and taking the mattress but he shrugged off the desire. He wondered who was in the village, everybody seemed to have missions to do or they were too tired from said missions to do anything. He decided to go see Sakura.

He walked up to the door and knocked, Sakura answered the door. "What do ya need, Naruto?" Naruto smiled and replied, "Well nothing really, just wanted to see if you wanted to hang out with me..." Sakura replied, "What for?" Naruto replied, "Well, I just want to spend time...with someone." Sakura sighed and said, "Well, okay, what did you have in mind?" Naruto replied, "Well is there anything you've been meaning to do?" Sakura said to him "Well, I've been meaning to some shopping...could use someone to carry boxes." Naruto just went "Uhmm..."

Carrying boxes wasn't really what Naruto had in mind but backing out wouldn't really be prudent. Sakura dragged Naruto all the way into the shopping district a few miles from the entrance to the village. Naruto was waiting in the lobby of a clothing store while Sakura tried on outfits. He was starting to get bored when Sakura came out wearing a red polka dot bikini and said "This doesn't look too skimpy on me does it?" Naruto blushed and said "No...not at all, it looks nice!" Sakura replied, "Good, then I'll get this." Sakura walked back into the myriad of dressing rooms. Naruto sighed and said to himself, "I don't think I can much more of this."

Sakura dragged him all over the immediate area, her shopping load steadily getting heavier, Naruto couldn't help but wonder who was the last sap Sakura fooled into doing this. After hours upon hours, it seemed of going in out of shops, stores, and boutiques, the sun started to go down, signifying the end of their little excursion. Sakura made him walk the whole way carrying a hundred shopping bags while she enjoyed a ice cream cone.

After getting back into the village, Naruto dropped everything off in her room. "Naruto thanks for everything." Naruto replied "No problem, Sakura." Sakura smiled and walked up to him and kissed him on the cheek and said, "I could use you next week again, see ya later." and with that, Sakura kicked him out. Naruto didn't mind though, that was just Sakura's nature.

Naruto turned and decided to go back to his new place, his 1st night there would be something to remember. He got to his front door and noticed someone walking toward him, Naruto tensed up but realized it was probably just a guy coming from the bar, he smiled and turned the key in the lock when a hand grabbed his shoulder, he turned around a swung a kunai but was surprised when he saw who it was.

"Lee, what are you doing here?" Naruto asked Rock Lee, a former classmate and teammate. He replied, "Naruto, I can ask the same question to you." Naruto replied by saying, "Well, I live here now." Lee replied with an excited "Really! How amazing, the powers of youth have brought us together as next door neighbors!" Naruto was surprised at this revelation, "WHAT!?...neighbors?" Lee said,Yes, I live here, right down the street from Guy Sensei's house." Naruto sighed and said, "Well then, howdy neighbor." Naruto and Lee smiled and walked into the building. Where Naruto turned right, Lee turned left and learned that their apartments were separated by one balcony between them. Lee waved and went back inside.

Naruto turned around and went into his bed, he pulled the covers up to his face and closed his eyes, today had been nothing but surprises and annoyances but hoped tomorrow would run more smoothly and hopefully, Ino would be back from her mission.

Day finally came and Naruto decided to take a walk after eating breakfast. As he walked into the training park, he ran into Neji Hyuga. "Hey Neji, what's shakin'?" Naruto asked while waving. Neji noticed him and turned and said "Naruto, how are you this morning?" Naruto replied "Oh I'm fine, just taking a walk in the park heh heh." Neji replied, "Well, since you're not busy, how about a little sparring match?" Naruto replied "Sure, sounds great, I can beat you twice now." Neji replied "When will you let that go?"

Neji and Naruto walked into a large fenced off area where a lot of ninja sparred with each other, it was large circular area with 4 foot tall fence around the whole circumference. "Let's get to it." Neji said while he threw a kunai at Naruto. He dodged the kunai and threw one of his own. Neji ran forward him in a Gentle Fist ready stance. Naruto wasn't fast enough and was hit numerous times by Neji's pinpoint strikes. Naruto was able to bounce back and punched Neji in the face. Neji jumped back and Naruto regained his composure.

Naruto made a combination of handsigns, "Summoning Jutsu!," Naruto summoned Gamakichi, together they combined their jutsu into a ultra-powerful water jutsu, Neji used rotation and threw explosive tags at Gamakichi, Naruto reversed the summoning and he disappeared, Naruto jumped in the air and threw a smoke bomb.

Naruto landed on the ground and was met with Neji's foot across his face, Neji then grabbed him and kneed him and struck him numerous times with Gentle Fist. "64 Strikes!" Neji said and he started spinning at high speed, striking numerous chakra points as he turned. Naruto was knocked back on the floor.

"Would you like to stop?" Neji asked. Naruto was able to get back up, "That was alittle more effort than a sparring match called for." Naruto yelled to him. Neji smiled, "Sorry, I guess I knew you would be able to take it." Neji walked to him, "Are you okay?" Naruto punched him in the face, "Now I am." Neji rubbed his face, "I knew you'd do that." Naruto replied "Of course you did." Neji said, "Thanks for the sparring session." Naruto smiled and said "No problem."

Naruto turned and ran away. He jumped through the village, watching everybody live. He decided to go check if Ino had gotten back from her mission. He knocked on the door, a maid had answered the door and wouldn't you know it, she started gushing over Naruto's rugged good looks. The maid asked "Yes, can I help you?" she said with sparkles in her eyes. Naruto replied, "Is Ino in yet?" The maid nodded and said, "Didn't you hear?" Naruto replied, "Hear what?' The maid had a solemn look on her face, "There was a messenger falcon this morning, Ino's squad was attacked and captured, if we don't give them what they want, they'll execute each member of the team every 5 hours." Naruto gasped, "WHAT!?" Naruto turned and ran at full speed toward the hokage's office.

"Granny Tsunade!" Naruto yelled as he ran into her office. She replied with a startled, "What is it?" Naruto said in a hurry, "Is it true about what happened to Ino's squad?" Tsunade nodded and replied, "Yes Naruto, we got word earlier today, we're getting together a rescue force to go get them." Naruto modded and said "Let me be on it." Tsunade was surprised and said "Why do you want to be on it so badly?" Naruto was embarrassed to tell them the truth so he said "Well they're my friends, I can't just leave them behind." Tsunade made that "Hmmm" sound and said, "Well alright then report to the front gate 20 minutes." Naruto replied, "Yes Ma'am." and he turned and ran out the door.

Shizune leaned toward Tsunade and whispered, "Pretty obvious isn't it?" Tsunade smiled and replied,  
"Oh yeah, totally obvious, Naruto has a crush on Yamanaka." Shizune straightened and smiled and laughed, "It's a good thing our Naruto is growing up, I thought he'd never find a girl." Tsunade turned her head and nodded "Yup, Naruto is growing us very fast, he's almost a full grown adult."

Naruto ran back to his apartment and hurriedly got together everything he would need. He got scrolls and knife pouches and healing herbs. He got everything into his backpack and ran out of the apartment, he was in such a hurry, he ran headfirst into Rock Lee. Lee's senses came back to him and he asked, "Naruto, what are you doing?" Naruto replied "Ino's squad is in trouble, I'm going to go rescue them." Lee replied, "Really? I was on my way to do just that." Naruto's eyes widened in surprised, "Really? Come on we'll go together." Lee and Naruto departed to the front gate.

When they arrived, Lee and Naruto were greeted by Choji and Shikamaru. "Shikamaru, what are you doing here?" Shikamaru replied, "Well she was our teammate, we have an obligation to save her." Choji added in "Yeah, we were together for so long, how can we not try to rescue her?" Naruto nodded and said "Yeah, let's do it." Tsunade appeared behind him and said "If you guys are ready, here is the mission plan. Ino and squad were sent to Land of Waves to investigate plans on assassinating Land of Waves officials, they were to be bodyguards until Land of Waves police were able to fix the problem. So what we need you to do is get there sharpish and ask around the governmental buildings and find some clues, we suspect the people who were under suspicion of assassinating the politicians were the culprits of the kidnapping of Ino and her squad."

Naruto, Lee, Shikamaru and Choji all understood and nodded. They turned and took off at high speed toward the Land of Waves.


	3. Lizard

"So we gonna ask those old farts about it first?" Naruto asked Shikamaru. He replied "That's the plan." Choji said to them "What if we get there and everybody is dead?" Neji said "I sure hope not, they are our only link to Ino's squad."

Soon after, Naruto and his squad arrived in the Land of Waves. They rushed over to the political district and went to the biggest building where most the senators convene. They got there and were quickly stopped by Land of Waves police. One of the highest ranking officers "Stop there, you 4!" Neji turned and said "What do you want?" The officer replied "You guys are ninjas, those headbands on your heads prove it." Naruto replied angrily "Yeah, what does that have to do with anything?" The officer said "All ninjas in the area are to be detained and questioned on sight."

"You're kidding right? We don't have time for this." Choji said. The officer said "Well young man, do you have proof you didn't commit these murders?" Naruto gave him a scroll "That scroll is directly from the Hokage of Konoha." The officer looked it over for authenticity, he turned to his colleagues and said "Okay, these guys are the real deal, let them in, give them whatever they need." The officer turned and said "Sorry about that." Naruto smiled and said "No problem." They walked past him and walked into the building.

Neji activated his Byakugan and scanned the area for anything of use. "There!" Neji pointed forward to a desk, there was a dead senator and a gun in his hand, near him was a small drop of piece, anybody would have missed it except for someone with Byakugan. Neji put his finger into it and examined it. "There are traces of chakra in this blood. I guess this guy was the last one to die and was able to get a shot off. I think I can trace it if I do a full search on the area and find matches for it."

Choji got excited and said "That's awesome Neji, I had no idea you could do that!" Neji replied "Yes well the Hyuga are used often to examine crime scenes." Naruto said to Neji "Ready?" Neji replied "Yes, Shikamaru, do you have the map of the area?" Shikamaru replied "Yeah, just a sec." Shikamaru pulled out a scroll and threw it to him. Neji said "There traces of the chakra trail starting to head East of here. Naruto said "East it is then." Choji yelled "Let's go!"

They ran out of the building and went due East. Neji was picking up traces of the chakra slowly, the chakra got more easier to spot. Soon they got to the harbor, they walked into the shipping docks, and found something important.

Shikamaru said "Aww shit, look at this..." Shikamaru uncovered a dead body. Choji said "That headband...look...it's all faded and scratched up but it's the hidden rain village." Shikamaru replied "Yeah, Waves and Rain are definitely not fans of each other but to go this extent, now the only question is who killed this guy, his so-called friends or someone from the Waves?" Neji stated "I would wager the former." Naruto chimed in "Yeah, I would say so, what a bunch of cocksuckers, suckered this poor guy into killing those people and then get him alone and kill him in return...makes me sick."

Neji stated "I don't like it much either but this makes everything much harder." Choji said "Maybe we should let the Waves police do an autopsy on him?" Neji said "That might be our best course of action." Shikamaru said "I'll go get the police force." Shikamaru disappeared in cloud of smoke.

After several hours of waiting and speculation, the cause of death was from a massively powerful water type jutsu, one that ripped him apart from the inside out. Naruto stated "Who has the power to do something like this?" Neji said "My highest suspect would be Kisame Hoshigake." Shikamaru said "I would guess someone with kage-level ability, like Kisame but it's too random to tell."

"Hmmm..." Shikamaru made these sounds all morning. Neji finally said "What's wrong Shikamaru?" Shikamaru said "I have a theory on who it is but I need to do some more research." Shikamaru turned and walked out into a library. Naruto walked up behind Neji "What is up with Shikamaru? Is something wrong with him?" Neji replied "I'm sure he knows what he's going to do, just give the genius a little bit to think."

Naruto turned and walked out. Some hours later Shikamaru returned, Neji said "Found anything?" Shikamaru plopped on a chair and said "Inconclusive..." Naruto said "Great so what now?" Neji said "I guess we go-" Neji was interrupted by sirens going off and he turned and ran to the window. Naruto said "What is it?" Neji replied "Something has happened, let's go." Naruto, Neji, Choji, and Shikamaru jumped out the window and made their toward the source of the disturbance.

The police men were getting slaughtered by an unknown assailant. Just as the last police officer was about to be killed, Shikamaru threw a flashbang, blinding the assailant and allowing Neji to get the police officer to safety. Naruto and Choji took their places next to Shikamaru. Naruto said "Who are you?" The assailant said "Nobody important."

Choji asked the man "Why are you doing this?" The assailant said "I was bored getting cooped up in that little shack all day, I had to get some fun going, you know? Besides, it's not like the boss will know I'm gone." Shikamaru then asked "Who are you working for?" The man said "You'll have to force that out of me." Naruto said "No problem!"

Naruto made a army of shadow clones to attack him, the man smiled and ran into the fray, easily destroying the clones with acrobatic Taijutsu similar to Rock Lee. Neji blended into the crowd of shadow clones and got behind him and struck every chakra point he could. The man swung around and kicked him in the face. Suddenly he was stunned by Shikamaru's shadow possession jutsu. Shikamaru then said "You're gonna talk or we'll have to make you talk." The man said "How are you gonna do that?"

Naruto stood in front of him and said "Sexy Jutsu!" Naruto transformed into a beautiful woman and started touching him saying "Won't you please tell me?" The man started to get a nose bleed and started wigging out. The man finally said okay and starting saying "Our hide-out is just outside-" a kunai struck from the air. Naruto turned back into normal and said "What was that?" A voice nearby started saying "Ryujin, how many times did I tell you not to leave the shack?" The man now known as Ryujin said "Aww shit Kouga, I was up the walls, okay, just because that lizard lover likes it in small dark places doesn't mean I have to."

Kouga jumped down from where he was standing, "It seems I have to settle this, sorry nothing personal but I have to take your lives now." Naruto said "Fat chance, just try it!" Neji got in front of him "Naruto, please let me have this one." Naruto replied "Neji..." Neji replied "I'll handle it, just wait." Neji walked forward.

Kouga said "I suppose you'll fight me yourself?" Neji said "You're lucky you're only fighting me." Kouga replied "If you say so but don't expect to hit me with that Gentle Fist style." Neji replied "So you know of Gentle Fist?" Kouga said "Yes, I know a few things about the Hyuga." Neji replied "Then this should be good."

Neji took his Gentle Fist stance. Kouga threw a smoke pellet and it exploded in front of Neji. He swung backwards and striked forward, narrowly missing Kouga's face, Kouga arched back and then brought himself forward and straight kicked Neji in the side and swung himself forward and connected with a left hook across Neji's face. Naruto yelled "Neji!" Neji called back "Don't interfere!" Neji regained his stance and ran forward and struck a handful of chakra points on Kouga's body. Kouga let out a yelp but uppercutted Neji. Naruto felt that something was wrong, he had seen Neji fight, he had fought Neji himself, he felt there was no way it should be this even. He suspected something was wrong.

Naruto turned to Shikamaru "Do you sense that something is off?" Shikamaru replied "What do you mean?" Naruto replied "Well we've seen Neji fight before, there should no way this fight should be so clean cut and even. This guy should easily be whupped by Neji." Shikamaru replied "Yeah, I noticed that too, I was hoping you did as well. I think this Kouga has employed some kind of jutsu to drain Neji of energy. Look, he's already breathing hard." Naruto then said "How do we stop it?" Shikamaru "I think he can only use it on one person at once, so if one of us got behind him and hit him, I think we can beat him."

Naruto smiled and said "When I get a chance, I'll hit him with my Rasengan, that will take him out in one hit, I guarantee it." Shikamaru nodded. They watched on and waited for their chance, the tide of battle seemed to have tipped in favor of Kouga, as he repeatedly hit Neji with ease. Neji was able to counter one of his punches and unleash a great flurry of chakra strikes nearly severing all of the chakra points in his chest.

"Maybe we're not needed after all." Choji said merrily. Naruto said "It's still too soon to judge." Shikamaru said "Naruto's right." Choji seemed to have gotten discouraged. The fight between Kouga and Neji came to a stalemate, Most of Kouga's chakra points had been severed, but Neji had been beaten pretty badly. Neji raised his hand for the final strike, "Now you'll get what you deserve." Before Neji could kill him, Naruto stepped in and stopped his arm.

"What do you think you're doing?" Naruto said. Neji replied "Naruto, you wouldn't understand. You don't know who this is." Naruto then said "Who is this person then? Why does he upset you so much?" Neji replied solemly "This man has been wanted for 15 years by the Hyuga for murdering and raping 20 Hyuga women. I'll take it upon myself to exact the punishment." Naruto replied "You don't have to do this, we can have him taken to Konoha, for a fair trial, then he will be punished accordingly, doing it like this will make you exactly like him." Neji realized what Naruto was saying, he then said "Naruto, you're right, I can't be like him." He turned to him and said "You will be taken back to Konoha, and given fair trial, then you will rightfully punished." He then struck him in the neck, knocking Kouga unconscious.

"You made the right choice."

"Don't remind me." Neji said as he turned around. Naruto then said "Neji." Neji turned back and said "Yes." Naruto said "You knew the whole time Kouga was using some kind of jutsu on you didn't you?" Neji opened his bag and threw him a vial of greenish liquid. "That potion slows the nervous system for a very short time, he musted have spiked me with it when he threw those kunai at us." Naruto smiled and threw the vial in a trash can.

After taking Ryujin back to the police station, Shikamaru personally interrogated him, learning some interesting information.

Naruto came up behind and asked "So what did you learn?" Shikamaru turned and said "I learned of 2 possible hiding spots for their ring leader. From what he said about this guy, he's a whole breed apart. A disgustingly powerful ninja. Kouga and Ryujin were just some mediocre level ninja when he found them, he gave them some ninja tips and sent on their way. He wouldn't tell me his name no matter what I did, probably if Ibiki was here, he'd be singing like a canary but no luck with that." Naruto replied "Well then, when do we go?" Shikamaru replied "Whenever you're ready." Naruto said "Give 5 minutes..." Naruto ran into a bathroom and 5 minutes later he came out. "Okay, let's go!"

Choji and Shikamaru went to check out the 1st location which was a cave in the far south, near the ocean. The second location was to the west where desert winds from the Hidden Sand village blew in. Choji and Shikamaru arrived at their destination. They walked cautiously into the cave, not knowing of what is inside. After some close calls with booby traps, they came to a small room at the end of the cave, Shikamaru gave a shushing signal to Choji and burst through the door with a flashbang, after the chaff faded, they learned that nobody was inside the room, except a big straw dummy that said on a sign nailed to it's chest "Fuck You" Shikamaru face palmed and cursed a few times and he and Choji left.

Naruto and Neji had alittle more luck in what they found, and boy what they found was something incredible. "This is pretty barren." Naruto and Neji found a deserted shanty town in the sandy area. Off in the distance, they could hear seagulls, they decided to follow it and found a lake in front of them. "This is pretty." Naruto stated. Neji then said "We don't have time to admire the scenery." Naruto nodded and kept searching.

After taking a full lap around the island they found what was the remnants of a campsite. Neji scanned it with his Byakugan. Neji walked over to a corner of the area "There are large disturbed circles in this area, I count 3, that means somebody was bound and tied right here. I would guess it was Ino's squad. Since there are 3 I can't help but speculate that one of them were killed or taken by the other 2." Naruto felt a knot in his stomach...in was a 1 in 4 chance that Ino was dead. Naruto did not like those odds at all.

Naruto followed Neji as he followed the trail of residual chakra into the now forest-like area. They were heading back east now, toward the border, Neji then said "It seems he is making a break for it into the land of Rain." Naruto then said "Those guys were hidden Rain." Neji replied "I know." They started to pick up the pace when they came to the border between hidden Rain and the Land of Waves.

Then Naruto heard it, a sound that ringed like a explosion in both ears, he heard Ino's voice. He started to go crazy and search everywhere until she was in sight, she on the other side of a small ravine, yelling for help. He immediately jumped to help her "Ino, you'll be fine now. I'm here." Naruto began to help her when a kunai came from nowhere and impaled Ino in the face. Naruto turned and saw Neji holding the other kunai.

"Neji, what have you done!?"

Neji said "Take a closer look behind you, that isn't Ino." Naruto replied with a yell "What do you mean? This is her, this is Ino."

A shadow rose behind him and Naruto heard, in a filtered mechanical voice, "You should listen to your friend." The shadow stabbed him with a kunai in the back and kicked him such force that it blew back to the other side of the ravine. Neji picked Naruto up and said "Who are you identify yourself now." The Ino clone said, in the mechanical voice "I'm somebody who had everything stolen from him by some lowlife Akatsuki member, I am here to reclaim it, and with Pain and those damned government lapdogs out of the way, I can reclaim what is mine."

Neji was confused, he had no idea what he was talking about. The Ino clone stepped forward and pointed down, Neji looked down and saw Ino and 2 other Konoha ninja still unconscious but relatively unharmed. Neji had to put Naruto down and he quickly retrieved them. Neji turned and said "Why did you wait to attack, you could have easily killed me while I was getting these people." The Ino clone said "I have no need for their lives, they served their usefulness and I'm giving them back to you." Neji replied "Why would you do that?"

The Ino clone then said "The lord of Rain should be so merciful as he is ruthless." Neji then stepped back and said "You can't be, I always thought Pain of Akatsuki killed you..." The clone said "I'm afraid not, I was able to escape his onslaught. I waited, until the right time and wouldn't you know it, that kid at your feet was the one who disposed of my biggest thorn in my side."

Neji said "Why wait until now, why not do it whenever you wished?" The clone said "Why not?" Neji took another step back "I can't beat this guy," he thought, "This guy...he will annihilate me, I have no chance..." He looked down and saw Naruto and Ino and squad unable to do anything and realized he wouldn't be able to escape with all of them, the only choice he had was to fight.

Neji took his Gentle Fist stance and said "Now fight me...Hanzo of the Salamander."

The Ino clone said "As you wish."

The clone exploded into smoke and saw a tall lanky man in black with the hidden Rain symbol on his forhead and the familiar facial apparatuses that all hidden Rain shinobi wear, and he was standing on the head of a giant green and red salamander.

Neji knew he couldn't defeat a enemy of this caliber, not even all 3 sannin together could even scratch him, but Neji had to hold out and try, for his friends, and to bide time for Choji and Shikamaru to show up.

Neji opened his kunai pouch and threw a kunai knife at Hanzo but his giant salamander easily swatted it down. He then threw another one with a long string of explosive tags, creating a large explosion on contact, it made a large smoke screen, Neji took this chance to flank Hanzo and try to get the drop on him.

Neji took cover behind a rock and monitored him via Byakugan. He was still standing still in the smoke, Neji was unable to figure out what he was doing. Hanzo turned around and made a combination of handsigns. "Summoning Jutsu." Neji found out what he summoning when a large red salamander was summoned from under him. The creature wrapped him up in its tongue and slammed Neji multiple times to the ground and then throwing him a far distance away.

Neji coughed a little bit but was able to get back up. Hanzo then said "Why don't you give up? There is no way you can beat me." Neji replied "I have to try, for my village, for my people, for my friends!" Neji threw a smoke bomb down. Hanzo said "Again with this cheap ploy?"

Neji bursted from the ground in front of him, engaged in a new fighting stance. Neji said "A little trick my friend Naruto showed me." Hanzo was surprised, he didn't expect Neji to appear from the ground. "8 Trigrams: 256 palms!" Neji struck blow after crushing blow on Hanzo, when his combo was finished the final hit knocked Hanzo off his salamander and into a small pool of water. Neji then said "Game Over...asshole." Neji turned to walk away but then heard splashing, Neji was then wrapped with a salamander's tongue. Neji said "What is this!?" He could Hanzo saying "I can do a lot of special things, I can even switch bodies with my summoned creatures." Neji looked and saw the salamander with 256 blueish circles on its body. "You swapped your consciousness with a salamander?" Hanzo replied "That was the plan."

Neji was pulled to Hanzo, he held Neji by the neck, pummeling him. Hanzo was saying "This is what happens when you fight someone who completely outmatches you."

Slowly, Ino began to regain consciousness, when she had gotten her bearings, she saw Naruto laying down next to her with her eyes closed. At first she was freaked out to see him and then relieved. She turned and saw what was happening to Neji, he was being beaten to death. He turned Naruto over "Naruto wake up! Now's not the time to be taking a nap!" Ino felt something wet on her hands, she saw that her hands were covered in Naruto's blood.

"Naruto!"

Ino opened his jacket and saw that there was a fragment of the kunai knife still in his back, she was able to pull it out and began using her medical ninjutsu. After a few minutes, Ino was able to repair the small hole in Naruto's back. Naruto began to regain consciousness and looked up. "Ino, you're here!" Ino replied "Yeah, but look!" Naruto saw that Hanzo was beating Neji into the ground.

Neji was trying to crawl away, slowly he moved but Hanzo stepped on his hand and broke it, Neji let out a loud scream and was then stomped in the face. Hanzo picked him up and raised a kunai knife. "Playing with you was fun but now the fun has to come to an end..." Neji opened his eyes and spit blood in his face. Hanzo then said "You insolent little shit, you don't even try to beg your life?" Neji then said "A life where I can't protect my friends is not worth living." Hanzo then said "Well let me remedy your problems!" Hanzo raised his kunai knife and swung it down directly on Neji's face, but before the final blow could be struck Naruto had kicked the knife from his hand and gotten Neji a safe distance away.

"Great job biding time Neji, now I'll handle it from here." Hanzo laughed and wiped the blood off his face "You'll 'handle it from here'?" Hanzo continued "Don't make me laugh." Naruto replied "I know who you are, Hanzo, my master told me, you might know him, his name was Jiraiya." Hanzo replied "Oh so you know Jiraiya, how is he?" Naruto replied "He's dead." Hanzo then said "Oh well, I was gonna kill him someday but I guess somebody beat me to it." Naruto had started to get irritated at this point.

"You should know!...I'm the new toad sage!!!" Hanzo then said "Umm...toad sage?" Naruto said "You didn't even know that much about Jiraiya?" Hanzo replied "Never cared enough to ask." Naruto then said "I'll have to make you care!"

Hanzo was surprised at what was happening, a strange aura was surrounding Naruto. Hanzo said "You're not the usual squirt are you kid?" Naruto then said "What gave it away?"

Hanzo smiled and his salamander's tongue lashed out at blinding speed and hit Naruto. Ino screamed out "Naruto!" At closer look Naruto had caught the salamander's tongue with one hand. He then pulled it as hard as he could, pulling the salamander out from under Hanzo. Naruto then punched the salamander with his Sage strength and destroyed it. Hanzo said "You're good, what is your name?" Naruto replied "My name...is Naruto Uzumaki." Hanzo then said "Naruto Uzumaki...I shall not forget it." Naruto then said "Good!" Naruto had gone on the offensive. Hanzo made a combination of handsigns, "Water Bullet jutsu!," numerous high-speed bullets of water shot from his mouth, destroying everything in their path, Naruto had been able to evade the strike and had been able to flank Hanzo.

Naruto swung his leg for a super powered kick but Hanzo had stopped his leg with one hand. Naruto said "No way." Hanzo replied "I know this transformation you have undergone, Jiraiya did it as well, but he was unable to defeat me." Naruto yelled out "Shit!" he arched forward and brought down his other leg down like an ax and Hanzo caught it with other hand, Naruto writhed through his own tangled up body and punched Hanzo square in the face. Hanzo was knocked back quite a far distance.

"He's doing it." Ino said to herself, she then heard Neji say "It's not over yet, it has just started." Neji started to cough some more blood. Ino turned to continue her medical treatment of him.

Naruto waited where he was standing, waiting for any retaliation from Hanzo of the Salamander. Soon he saw some stirring in the distance where Hanzo landed from the blow, he readied himself. I long Salamander tongue bursted from the ground and wrapped around Naruto. Hanzo had appeared on top of the salamander that had Naruto in the vice.

"Shit." Naruto said to himself. Even with his Herculean strength, he could not destroy the binding around him. Hanzo said "You cannot free yourself with brute force." Hanzo removed his headgear, finally showing his face. He was older than thought to be, his face was lightly scarred from hundreds of battles, Naruto wondered which scars were from fighting Jiraiya.

Hanzo spit out some blood. He strapped the headgear around his neck and spoke in his real voice. "Naruto Uzumaki, you are quite a young man, I apologize for earlier, I now have a certain respect for you." Naruto then replied "Yeah," while trying to struggle from the bind he was in "Real respectful of ya." Hanzo chuckled and said "Yes well in the battlefield, the shinobi must be ruthless and finish his foe with straight prejudice."

Naruto started to get pissed off from Hanzo's ramblings, he then said "You're real full of yourself you know that?" Hanzo replied "Anybody that told me that were killed." Naruto tried one last time to break free but decided to try a different tact. He closed his eyes and focused his natural chakra. Slowly, his chakra stores were being replenished and suddenly the salamander's tongue started to turn into stone.

Hanzo said "What are you doing to my salamander?!" Naruto replied "Making him easier to break..." Naruto flexed and broke the stone tongue around him. The salamander cried in intense pain and started to thrash around. Hanzo was knocked unsteady, Naruto jumped up and swept his leg, trying to catch Hanzo in the hit, Hanzo was able to duck and for the 1st time, physically hit Naruto with a incredibly powerful uppercut, he then straight kicked Naruto in the chest, sending him flying into a tree.

"Wow..." Naruto whispered when he hit the tree. He looked up and was hit with a barrage of water bullets, his sage powers were able to barrier his body from being ripped to shreds but he was still badly injured, he took a large amount of damage from the hit.

Hanzo said "Now to finish it!" Hanzo made a handsign and a shadow clone appeared in front of Naruto and stabbed him in his naked torso with a katana. Naruto let out a scream. He grabbed the katana from the clone's hands and destroyed the clone, then freeing him from the tree and throwing the katana at blinding speed. Hanzo ducked and said "You have to do much better than that, Naruto Uzumaki." Hanzo directed his salamander to lurch forward and bite Naruto with its razor sharp teeth. He exploded into smoke. Hanzo said "What is this?" He didn't see the katana exploding into Naruto until it was too late. Naruto ran at lightning speed and thrusted his special attack into Hanzo back.

"ODAMA RASENGAN!"

There was a large explosion and everything in the area was destroyed.

"Naruto.." Ino said to herself as she saw the fight and helped Neji at the same time.

Eventually the smoke cleared and Naruto was sitting against a tree. In the crater where he struck the Odama Rasengan, or his extra large Rasengan, Hanzo's body lay motionless with a circular section of his armor missing, where the attack struck.

Naruto yelled out to Ino "It's over Ino, let's go home!" Ino looked back at her and smiled. Naruto felt wildly happy to see her beautiful smile. Maybe she could patch up Naruto's wounds from the battle. As he walked away, Ino screamed out "Naruto, behind you!" Naruto turned around to be stabbed through the shoulder by a new salamander's tongue, he was then grabbed by the creature's mouth and flung a few feet away. Naruto wasn't expecting the attack, so he had dissipated his Sage Mode, and without its protection, he was moderately wounded.

The salamander let out a loud moaning sound and opened its mouth and something emerged from its mouth. Hanzo had crawled out from the creature's throat, nearly unscathed.

Naruto breathed "That's Orochimaru's jutsu..." Hanzo walked to him and said "Where do you think he got the idea for that jutsu?" Hanzo kicked Naruto in the side, sending him flying into a large rock. Hanzo jumped back onto his salamander and said "Tidal Shockwave jutsu!" Hanzo released a large water wave that rushed into the rock with the power of a tsunami. Naruto was crushed into the wall.

Hanzo jumped off his salamander and walked up to Naruto, who could not move. Hanzo said "You should've known you couldn't beat me." Hanzo then bitch slapped Naruto acrossed the face and stabbed him in the chest with a kunai. "I think we're done here..." Hanzo said with a sigh, and he walked back to his salamander and hopped on his back.

When he turned around the salamander's back, he was instantly swept with tremendous force and thrown through multiple trees. Hanzo said "What the fuck was that?" He then saw the large rock explode into dust and saw someone standing in the dust. Hanzo said "Who is that?"

Upon further notice, it was Naruto but he was in a state of mind unlike his own, the Kyuubi had decided to take Naruto's weakness for his advantage and release himself. Hanzo then said "You can't be...of all people, I never thought I would be fighting the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi." He attempted to make a handsign but Naruto had teleported behind him and swiped him in the back with Kyuubi chakra. Naruto then grabbed Hanzo by the leg and swung him around, and threw him with shattering force into the salamander, destroying the salamander and Hanzo being smashed into a tree. Hanzo had risen and tried to defend himself but Naruto had become even more angry and started to transform again.

He was turned into the black Kyuubi-like monster, and he super- extended his arms to grab Hanzo and smash him into the ground. He then grabbed him again and pulled him toward him and then punched him with earth crushing force, Hanzo was thrown like a ragdoll into the ravine that seperated them from Ino and Neji.

"Naruto!" Ino screamed but the monster just ignored her and jumped down into the ravine. Hanzo had been dealt some serious damage and could barely move. The Kyuubi monster picked him up and started to crush him with its powerful hands. Ino had to do something so she jumped down into the ravine.

"Naruto, please stop this!" The monster hardly noticed her. Ino decided to throw a kunai at it, the kunai landed into its neck but then just seeped into the monster's body. Now Ino had gotten its attention. The Kyuubi threw Hanzo with its regular force into a wall, and turned to Ino. "Naruto, I know you can hear me, please come back to me, NARUTO!" The monster started to screech and raised its arm and swung its arm on Ino's head, she flinched but saw that the monster had stopped itself from killing her.

The monster yelled again and started to become smaller until Naruto had been reverted back to Sage Mode.

"Thank you...Ino."

Naruto started to feel dizzy and fell but Ino caught him. "It's okay Naruto, I got...I got you..." Naruto then said "Hanzo...I have to finish this..." Naruto had forced himself and found Hanzo in a small crater from the beating he just got. Hanzo said to them "Well? Finish it...kill me..." Naruto then said "No." Hanzo replied "No?" Naruto said "I want you to live...live with the guilt and shame knowing that you lost here today." Naruto and Ino turned around. Hanzo then said to himself "Nobody says 'No' to me!" he threw a kunai at Ino but Naruto pushed her out of the way and Naruto jumped forward and put all the might he could gather for one crushing Sage punch to Hanzo's face, which had been broken on impact, meaning Naruto broke his face.

"You had no choice, he wouldn't have stopped otherwise." Ino said. Naruto replied "I know." He turned around and reverted to normal form. He took her hand and said "Let's go home...together."


	4. Hero

**Author's Note: Sorry for taking long with this chapter, I had ACT testing this week. Got a pretty short chapter right now but I hope you like it.**

The familiar _Snikt _of the blade as it is drawn resounds in the air. The familiar scream resounds in the air, the slow, steady dripping sound of ruby hitting the hard stone floor. Naruto knew that scream, heard that scream once or twice in his past. He ran to find her, the girl she cared so much about. He had broken down every barrier he found and saw him…standing over her.

"Sasuke!" Naruto screamed as he saw Ino slide off the end of his Chokuto. "What have you done?" Naruto asked as he stepped forward. There were only those 3 beings in the world right now, in a sea of darkness surrounding them. Sasuke was transformed into his curse mark form for no apparent reason other than to instill fear in his recent victims.

"Sasuke, why did you do this?" Naruto demanded. Sasuke only replied "Because, I love to see you suffer, Naruto. You…your village, everyone, they are responsible, responsible for my suffering and It's my turn to return the favor."

Sasuke turned to Naruto, ready to attack Naruto with his sword. Naruto then said "Why, Sasuke, why? Why have you decided to blame me for what happened to your family?" Sasuke replied "Because…because your family is the reason for mine killing each other off. The Senju are responsible for everything!"

Naruto replied "I am not a Senju, I've never been a Senju, I am Naruto Uzumaki, nothing more, and won't you understand that?" Sasuke replied "Your lineage does not lie to me, Naruto. Maybe if cared about something more than your idiotic dream of being Hokage and Ramen, you would know that." Naruto then said "Even if I am related to the Senju, why do have to 'punish' me? Why can't we put this curse of our families behind us and move on?"

"This is all I have; this is what I was born to do, to end it, to end it for everyone, including myself…"

"So you're saying you'll kill yourself?"

"Yes."

Naruto then looked down at the ground "Sasuke, how did…how did you get so fucked up?" Sasuke replied "It is not me who is fucked up; I have merely seen the truth of things. As long as we exist we will spend the rest of eternity fighting and fighting and fighting. This is how we end, this is how we leave the ninja world in peace, and this...I know because he told me so."

Naruto yelled back "Sasuke, don't you understand!? Madara is using you; you're his pawn to try to kill anyone who can get in his way!" Sasuke replied "It matters not at this point, Naruto. This is how it has to be, this is how it will end, by you dying at my blade and me, falling on my own."

"Sasuke…"

Naruto took in a breathe and saw Ino, who was laying there at his feet, struggling to live, struggling to go to Naruto one last time to tell him "I love you." Naruto felt it in his pocket, the small box. The box containing something for Ino, in the box was a ring Naruto had gotten for her.

"Sasuke"

Naruto felt a kunai in each hand; they had slid from his sleeves. Sasuke rushed Naruto with his Chokuto channeling Chidori, during these proceedings, Naruto though one thing, "It doesn't have to be this way…"

Naruto jumped from his bed, hitting his head on the ceiling and crashing to the ground. He was wet with sweat and breathing hard. This last dream was particularly severe to him. The dreams had ceased for a while but then they returned, Naruto had followed Ino's advice but nothing worked for him. Naruto wondered if perhaps, he was going crazy.

The morning sun hit Naruto in the face as he got up; he was sleeping half the day. He pulled on his clothes and walked out the door and down the stairs from his new place. He liked it very much, more than his old living arrangements, it seemed being attacked by a nut-case and your building burning down wasn't so bad after all.

He turned the corner and ran into Rock Lee, who was during his morning exercise…1,000 pushups. Naruto walked over to him and said "How's it going Lee?" Lee looked up and said "Great, Naruto, today has been great, I have decided to give myself another 1,000 pushups, would you like to join me?" Naruto stepped back and said "No thanks, I err…did about 2,000 chin ups this morning for exercise…" Lee smiled and replied, with stars in his eyes "Oh Naruto, the fire of youth burns in you like a star in space!" Naruto turned and said, walking away, "Thanks Lee, see ya later."

Naruto decided to go see someone special and ran down an alley into the market district of Konoha. He slowed and walked up casually into a floral shop. Naruto crept up behind Ino and yelled "Boo!" Ino instantly jumped into the air and swung and punched Naruto into the wall. Ino realized who she hit and ran over to Naruto. "Naruto, are you okay?"

Naruto pulled himself up and said "Yeah, I'm fine…nice punch though." Ino smirked and flexed her arms "You don't want any of these 7 inch guns." Naruto replied "No, no I sure don't." Naruto finished with a smile. Ino smiled back and said "So what do you need?" Naruto replied "Well…I kind of just wanted to…you know…see you…"

Ino felt herself blush and her face got warm. She was touched that Naruto went to the trouble of seeing her at work just to see her, not anyone else but her. Ino said "So…" Naruto replied with "When do you get off?" Ino said "In about 10 minutes, want to wait around until it's time for me to go and we can get something to eat?" Naruto replied "Sure." Naruto hopped over the counter and took a seat in the corner.

Naruto had dozed off in his chair and fell asleep. He had picked up where he left off, brief flashes of pain and fire engulfing people he cared about. One flash after another of Sasuke mutilating Ino with his sword and her blood dropping on the floor _drip…drip…drip…_ Naruto was screaming "No" when he saw this flash then another white flash hit him the face and was brought back into the real world.

Ino said "You were yelling in your sleep and scaring customers…" Naruto looked into her ocean blue eyes and was slowly calmed down. He heard it again _drip…drip…drip…_ Naruto jumped from the chair and looked around for the source of the sound. He then saw a sink faucet dropping steady droplets of water into the drain _drip…drip…drip…_

Naruto caught his breathe and turned around to be face to face with Ino. She said "Is something wrong?" Naruto replied "Nothing is wrong…" Ino caressed his cheek "Are the dreams coming back?" Naruto dropped his head and said "They're getting worse and worse…" Ino then felt Naruto's eyes beginning to well up.

Ino led him into a small lounge in the back; she gathered some tissues and sat him down. For lack of another chair, she decided to sit in his lap and wipe away his tears. She ran her fingers through his hair. Naruto stared into Ino's calming blue eyes. "Don't blow this, Naruto…" he thought to himself.

Ino then said "I wish I could do something more to help you feel better…" Ino face started to get closer to his. Ino then continued "I hate watching my friends suffer…" Her lips were so close to his, he could feel her lips teasing his. Naruto was in a fluster of different emotions. They caught each other's eyes once again. Ino then said "Naruto…"

She put her arm his head and pressed his lips into hers. Naruto was dumbstruck but then put his arms her waist and began to kiss her back. Ino then put her other arm around his head. Naruto could feel Ino massaging his tongue with hers; he returned the favor by massaging the top of her mouth with the tip of his tongue. Ino then broke the kiss because he had started to tickle her mouth and taste buds.

"Why did you stop?"

Ino replied "Naruto…I'm not sure…I don't want this to become something that…" Naruto put a finger over her mouth. Naruto then said "You don't have to worry about anything; this…this is us…okay?" Ino wrapped her arms around his head again and rested her head against the crook of his collar bone.

Naruto then decided to just say what was nagging him forever.

"Ino…have you been thinking about being more…than friends with…me?"

Ino was scared to answer him, if she tread somewhere she shouldn't her friendship with him could crumble, but as she looked into his blue eyes, she couldn't lie to him anymore.

"Naruto…I have always had…sophisticated emotions toward you. Since you came back from training with master Jiraiya…how you'd grown and become so handsome and such a great ninja. I was in awe and I was jealous of you. I had been training and honing my abilities so I wasn't so needless in battle and you came back so confident in yourself and your new abilities and how you saved me time and time again. Do you remember when you defeated Pain and saved the whole village?"

Naruto nodded in an affirming manner.

"After I saw you, save us all and my dad told me you were our hero that saved him and Choji's dad and everyone else I…I…started to fall in love with you. You were like those great chivalrous heroes in books I read as a kid…with the golden knight saving a princess from a 3 headed dragon…" She had stopped and chuckled and continued "You were my…hero, Naruto. After seeing you grow more and more, getting more amazing in your ninja abilities, I wanted nothing more than to be your equal and say 'look at me' and now I can say it…look at me."

Naruto took her head in his head and smiled and kissed her again. He broke their kiss and then said "Did you really think I was a hero?" Ino nodded and said "You were _my_ hero." Naruto replied "I've been waiting a long time for someone to call me that." Ino replied "You shouldn't have. You always were and you still are." Ino got from his lap and straightened herself up and said "I was hoping to do this proper so…Naruto…" Naruto looked into her eyes, "Naruto…I love you."


	5. Dem Bones

**Author's Note: Here's a double helping of "Nightmares" for you since you guys were so patient. :) :) :)**

Naruto couldn't believe how his life could've changed so much that week. She told him she loved him the other day now. Ino was now at his place all the time, some might get annoyed but Naruto enjoyed her company. She had just left his apartment after some hot making out. Naruto walked over to his fridge and grabbed a soda and sat back down. He felt happy; he didn't want it to end. He opened his soda and took a swig of it.

"Man, I am the leading the good life…" Naruto stretched out. He could remember when everyone else found out about their relationship Hinata and Sakura were most affected, Naruto still can't figure out why.

Ino was so good to him, she never judged him, never seemed to get upset with him. Naruto was in love, and they both knew it. Naruto switched on the TV and put on the evening news. Naruto sat down on the couch and relaxed on watched the weather segment when it cut off.

"We interrupt this program for special breaking news…" A journalist and then another appeared on the screen in ninja clothes.

"This Kishi Dattebayo here, reporting from the Land of Twisters, where eyewitnesses are describing it as a horrid act of violence and carnage. We have here a witness to the events, sir could you tell us your name?" A new elderly man had appeared on the screen he looked terribly injured his left arm was missing and there gauze and bandages on his face. He started to say "My name is Hiro Yomo." The newscaster then said "Mr. Yomo, please tell us in detail of what happened here." Hiro Yomo then said "There were 2 of them, unbelievably powerful shinobi, easily killed or injured our most skilled Jonin. I got a good look at both of 'em though, one was tall, with a spiral mask on his face and the other was a young man, the thing they both had in common was the same eyes they had, red as the devil's dick, I've seen 'em before, those were Sharingan, no doubt about it." Kishi then led him off camera and returned shortly after. "Well there it is folks, Mr. Yomo said they possessed the Sharingan, of the now nearly extinct Uchiha clan, we have compiled evidence that one of them was indeed Sasuke Uchiha, the other was an unknown accomplice. Sasuke Uchiha was the only survivor of the Uchiha clan massacre some years ago carried out by older brother Itachi Uchiha. As we learn more on the story, you will too, stay tuned for more information."

Naruto was standing straight up in the air, his hands balled into tight fists. "Sasuke, now what are you up to?" Naruto had been pacing back and forth all night thinking about Sasuke's attack in the Land of Twisters. Naruto had been debating whether or not to tell Sakura about it or if she was watching the news as well. Naruto then stopped and ran into his closet; he pulled on his Konoha ninja outfit. He decided to be more official on this latest endeavor. He strapped on the last Kunai pouch and walked out the door into the night.

As he headed toward the main gate, he stopped by Ino's house, he stood on a nearby building and watched her in her room, sleeping. It looked silent so he slinked over and climbed slowly through the window. He tiptoed over to Ino and brushed the hair from her face and bent and kissed her lips. "I'll see you later, Ino." He turned and jumped out the window. As he jumped Ino turned over and opened one eye. "I wonder where he's going…" She thought.

Naruto had jumped through the gate and took off at high speed for the land of Twisters, if there even was a slight chance of finding Sasuke, he would take it.

Morning had finally come and Naruto was just outside the Land of Twisters checkpoint. Somebody stopped him and said "You, do you have business here." Naruto replied "I'm from Konoha." The officer then said "So?" Naruto replied "Please sir, I have to get in." The officer said "We've quite enough with Konoha if you don't know what's been going on here lately."

Naruto replied "I do know and that's why I'm here, to stop it." The officer said "Were you sent by the Hokage?" Naruto replied "Yes." The officer sighed and yelled to the guy behind the gate "Hey let this guy through!" The gate opened and Naruto yelled thanks as he ran through the gate.

He had gotten to the capital city where the incident happened. He saw numerous chalk outlines of corpses long picked up. As he walked further into the city, the damage got worse and more chalk outlines. As he approached the business sector he could still be people being scraped off the streets and stuffed into trash bags. Naruto started to feel queasy at the sight of it. "How could Sasuke do something like this?" He said to himself.

He walked past some yellow tape, there was so much of it, and you'd think you were in a museum. Naruto walked over some children walking around, they were crying. Naruto bent over and said "Hey there kids, what's wrong?" One child said "The bad men killed our parents." Naruto was surprised. Another child said "They were melted by black fire from the bad man in the mask." A young girl then said "Yeah, the other one tried to stop him though." Naruto felt better knowing it wasn't Sasuke that left these children without parents.

Naruto reached into his pocket and gave them some money and told them to stay out of the police's way. They all smiled and ran away. Naruto smirked and thought "These kids didn't deserve this." He turned around and was greeted by the barrel of a gun. Naruto then said "What's going on?" The man holding the gun raised a badge "Official police business, you're coming with me, do you refuse to comply?" Naruto replied "Why are you doing this?" The police officer said "Come with me." The officer led him to a circle of police detectives by some squad cars and a dead body.

The officer said "I got him, boss." The officer left and Naruto stayed. The detective in a long overcoat walked over to him and held up a badge. There were 2 emblems the top one said "Detective" and the other had the Land of Twister emblem on it, symbolizing that he was a ninja as well as detective. The detective held out his hand and said "Sorry about that, we aren't usually so rough around here but things have changed as you can see…" Naruto replied "It's no problem at all." Naruto shook his hand.

The detective said "My name is Ryu, nice to meet you." Naruto replied "Naruto Uzumaki." The detective then had a strange on his face. Naruto said "What's wrong?" Ryu replied "THE Naruto Uzumaki the Sage master?" Naruto chuckled and said "Yeah…that's me…" Ryu said "Hey can I get a picture of you sometime for my daughter? She's in love with you." Naruto then said "I didn't think I'd be that famous." Ryu replied "Oh man, you're a rockstar in these parts. You're the one that defeated the leader of Akatsuki."

Naruto scratched his head "I didn't think that would get around." Ryu said "You're so wrong there." Ryu led him to a small store that was still open a few blocks away. He led him inside and there were posters with Naruto's face on it. Naruto said "Wow, I've been manufactured." Ryu then said "Well then Naruto, do you have a place to stay? You're probably tired from your journey." Naruto replied "No, not really, didn't think that far ahead." Ryu said "Don't worry, come and stay with my family, we got plenty of room." Naruto replied "That's nice offer, I'll take you up on that." Ryu replied "Great, come on, you're going to need your rest for the investigation tomorrow." Naruto replied with a somber "Yeah."

Ryu took him to his home, which was larger than most of the other houses on the street. "Cops and ninjas around here make a pretty good living as you can see." Ryu said, opening the door. Naruto followed him inside. Ryu yelled to his wife, "Yui, set another plate, we have a guest." Yui walked through the door from the kitchen yelling "If you brought home another cop I'm going to-"She stopped when she saw who was standing her living room.

She changed her tone very fast and made a curtsy saying "Oh…Mr. Uzumaki, If I knew you were coming I would've been dressed better…" Naruto stopped her and said "Please don't. Everything is fine and please call me Naruto, nobody has ever referred to me as 'Mr.'" She stood up straight and shook his hand "I can't believe it…you're really real." Naruto replied "As real as I can be." Naruto laughed and Yui laughed hesitantly. Trying obviously too hard to not offend him.

"Tara! Come downstairs now!" Yui yelled upstairs. Ryu appeared behind him and said "You'll love my daughter, just turned 13 last week, a real sweetheart."

"Mom, if you're cooking that nasty spinach pasta I'm going to puke all over-"She stood frozen on the stairs, looking directly at Naruto. "It's…it's you!" Naruto replied "It's me!" She jumped the rest of the stairs and onto Naruto, making him fall on the floor. She had given Naruto a huge bear hug and nestled in his arms.

Ryu pulled her off and sent her in the kitchen. "Sorry about that…" Naruto got up and replied "It's nothing really; just a girl going crazy; I've had a lot of experience in that department." Ryu then said "A handsome young man like you probably has." Ryu led him into the kitchen where they sat down to eat spinach pasta. After dinner, Ryu and Naruto were relaxing in the backyard with beers while Yui and Tara watched them intently from the second floor window.

Ryu said "It seems my wife and my daughter is smitten with you." Naruto replied "Yeah I guess so." Ryu then said "So why are you here…really?" Naruto replied "Sasuke Uchiha." Ryu replied "Have you come here to kill him?" Naruto replied "No, Sasuke was my very good friend once, I plan to change him one of these days and make him see how fucked up the things he's doing are."

Ryu said "Nice try with that, after seeing what he and that other did here, I highly doubt it." Naruto replied "Madara." Ryu said "What was that?" Naruto replied "His name, Madara Uchiha." Ryu said "Madara Uchiha has been quite dead for some time." Naruto said "I'm afraid not." Ryu replied "Well that shouldn't be since he is buried here." Naruto turned and said "What!?" Ryu replied "You didn't know? Madara Uchiha was buried here, along with his wife." Naruto replied "His Wife?"

Ryu said "His wife was from this country, back then, we were just starting out and didn't have much money but the aid the Uchiha changed that and we became an independent nation. Madara met her on one of his annual visits and fell in love, as the story goes and they were married here and he took her back to Konoha with him." Naruto replied "I can't believe I didn't know this." Ryu said with a smile "It's one of those hush-hush kinds of things." Naruto said "Where is the grave?" Ryu replied "Not far from here, I'll show you tomorrow."

Ryu got up and walked inside saying "Get some sleep."

Naruto remained outside thinking about what he'd just learned. "Could this be why they're here?" Naruto thought to himself. He stood up and jumped on the roof. Naruto felt was behind and swung around, only to be greeted by a pair of warm, soft, familiar lips.

Naruto said "You followed me?" Ino replied "It was easy?" Naruto then said "Why?" Ino replied "I didn't want to be left out." Naruto then said "You shouldn't have come, it could be dangerous here." Ino replied with a smart look on her face "I may not be a sage master or anything but I can handle myself."

Naruto said "If it gets too hot…" Ino stopped him and said "If it gets too dangerous, I'll run away, okay?" Naruto replied with a smile "Okay." They looked into each other's eyes and stepped forward and embraced each other and greeted each other with a hot and juicy kiss. They didn't know Yui and Tara were watching with stars in their eyes.

The next morning, Ino and Naruto left the house and searched for the graveyard Ryu had given them directions to. They walked inside and saw numerous grave pillars with names inscribed on them.

Ino asked "What are we looking for?" Naruto replied "We'll know when we find it." Soon after, Ino stumbled upon a large memorial pillar with the insignia of the Uchiha clan. Naruto said, I think we found it. Naruto ran his hands over it, searching for anything conspicuous. Ino yelled out "Naruto, come here!" Naruto ran toward Ino and stopped to see her hunched over a grave nearby.

"Look Naruto…this dirt has been disturbed…recently too." Ino said. Naruto saw that she was right; the dirt was fresh and looked like someone was digging there recently. Naruto leaned down and started digging. Ino said "What do you think you're doing?" Naruto replied "Finding whatever it was Madara was looking for." After an hour of digging with his bare hands, Naruto hit the ornate coffin at the bottom.

Naruto yelled for Ino, who was sitting on a tombstone. She ran over and looked down into the hole. Naruto said "Look, the latch of this coffin has been melted apart." Ino added "Only serious fire jutsu could do that." Naruto replied "My thoughts exactly."

He leaned over and pulled open the coffin and was greeted with a forceful gust of death in the form of smell. Naruto fell back and coughed. Naruto said "motherfucker…that smells like rotten shit on a hot day." Ino said "Glad I'm not down there with you." Naruto replied "Yeah…lucky you!" Naruto swatted the air some more and opened the coffin completely, there was a skeleton of a female body, completely decomposed.

Ino then said "Get away from that fucking thing, Naruto." Naruto replied "Hold on…I see something." Upon further inspection, Naruto noticed that the neck bone had been broken in half. Naruto picked up the skull and saw that there was line that was lighter than the rest of the bone. Naruto looked up at Ino and said "She was buried with some kind of necklace but I don't see it here." Ino replied "Well hurry up, this is creeping me out!" Naruto waved her off.

Naruto rummaged through the ancient clothing she was buried with and saw that the clothes she was wearing were brandished with the Uchiha emblem. Naruto stood up and said "Ino, it's her, this is her…" Ino replied "Madara's wife?" Naruto nodded affirming.

Ino said "What are you going to do with her?" Naruto was ignoring her and looked further and saw a small piece of ruby at the bottom of the coffin. He picked it up and then something happened. The whole world seemed to disappear around Naruto and was trapped in blackness; it felt like hours he was there until he felt something hard across the face.

Naruto was brought back into reality by Ino hitting him the face. He dropped the small gem into coffin and fell back. Naruto said "What the fuck…?" Ino said "You were staring into space for 20 minutes, I looked closer and your eyes….they turned red like the Sharingan." Naruto was confused about what happened. He took a handkerchief from his pocket and picked up the small gem. He put in his pocket.

They walked back to Ryu's house without bothering to fill in the hole.

They had gotten there and saw that the whole neighborhood was on fire. Naruto and Ino ran into Ryu's house and starting yelling out the occupant's names. Nobody answered, and then Naruto heard Ino scream and broke through a wall to find her standing over Ryu's family, dead.

Ino said "What happened here?" Naruto said "We don't have time!" Naruto pushed Ino out of the way of a falling beam and broke through a wall and led her outside. Ino said "This is starting to get fucked up."

"I know…"

Ino and Naruto turned around and saw him. The progenitor of the Uchiha clan, Madara Uchiha, was standing there.

Naruto said "What the fuck do you want?" Madara replied "I want what you have in your pocket." Naruto pulled out the small orb on his pocket. "You mean this?" Naruto held it out. Madara held out his and said "Yes, give it to me." Naruto replied "Go fuck yourself." Madara then said "No need to get hostile, last thing we need is for this to be physical." Naruto replied "Ha! That's a good laugh, funny for you say that after you killed all these people." Madara replied "They were in the way; they had to be dealt with." Madara said, walking closer.

Naruto then said "Ino, get out of here; get back to Konoha as fast as you can!" Ino nodded and turned around and starting running but her path was blocked. Ino let out a gasp and Naruto turned around and saw Sasuke Uchiha.

"Nice to see you as always, Naruto…" Sasuke said. Naruto replied "I wish I could say the same." Sasuke stepped past Ino and was standing next to Naruto. "Tell me Naruto, how did you come by this part of town?" Naruto replied "You killing 100 people in the middle of town will get people's attention." Sasuke replied "I needed a distraction for Madara to come here."

Naruto then said "Madara, what do you want with this?" Madara replied "I need it." Naruto replied "And just what is 'it'"? Madara replied "A piece." Naruto then said "A piece of what?" Madara replied "A map." Naruto had started to get upset by these games and yelled "A map to what!?" Madara replied with this Sharingan in full view "A map to the ultimate Sharingan."


	6. For a Bead

"The Ultimate Sharingan? I thought your Sharingan was the most powerful since you had the first." Naruto said aloud.

Madara replied "Excuse me; there I go misspeaking again…" Madara let out a small chuckle. Madara cracked his head and said "What I meant was I'm looking for a special…artifact…and that little trinket in your pocket is something I need to locate it."

Naruto replied "So you were going to loot your wife's corpse to get some little bead!?" Sasuke then spoke "Naruto, this is something a little more important than some respecting some dead hag's body-" Madara had appeared in front of him and backhanded him with tremendous force, so powerful, Sasuke didn't even move, only the ground beneath them had been disturbed.

Sasuke fell to one knee. Naruto was confused as to what Madara was doing. Madara picked Sasuke up by his neck and said "Listen you little shit, do not ever dare to call that woman a 'hag' or speak ill of her again. If you do, I will kill you without a second's hesitation. Do you understand me?" Sasuke spit out some blood and was able to let out a affirming motion. Madara turned around and said "Good"

Naruto then said "So, what will you do to take this from me?" Madara replied "Hopefully nothing, I was hoping you'd just hand it over and walk away." Naruto replied "You know I can't do that."

"Is that really so? You _have_ to be involved in this?"

"You're planning something not good; I will not let you get away with it."

"Have it your way…"

Madara turned and walked away. Naruto questioned what Madara, thinking that Madara would attack him. He was greeted with a swift kick to his side from Sasuke. Naruto slid to his side and took a defensive stance.

"Sasuke, I never thought you would end up a grunt, oh how you have fallen from your great status as an Uchiha…hahahaha." Sasuke had become upset. Sasuke yelled "Naruto!"

Sasuke threw numerous kunai knives at Naruto; he dodged them all with ease and tried to make a run for it when Madara blocked his way with a kick to his chest. Naruto was knocked back and was brought to his knee.

Madara said "Can't have you running off with that bead."

Naruto bellowed "Mother…fucker."

Madara replied "No need for such language…" Naruto lunged forward to attack Madara but he was greeted by a kick from Sasuke in the face. Naruto was knocked into the ground. Sasuke stood above and him and said "Just give it up you loser, you can't beat either one of us let alone both so just hand over the bead and you can live a little while longer."

Naruto didn't move. Sasuke let out a "humph" and kicked Naruto in the side. He still didn't move. Madara then said "I think he's decided to just give up, let's get out of here Sasuke." Sasuke nodded and reached down and tried to turn Naruto over but he grabbed his arm and gives him a right hook in the left side of his face and sent him flying at high speed away from him. Naruto reached forward to pull himself up. Madara then commented "Finally decided to get serious have you?"

Naruto turned toward Madara. He had successfully activated Sage Mode and was ready to fight the most powerful Uchiha ever born. Naruto said "Come on then." Madara replied "I believe your fight is with him Naruto." Madara pointed and Sasuke had gotten up from the incredible hit from Naruto.

"That was a real good hit you got off me, just barely tickled…"

Naruto then said "Sasuke please abandon this path. You don't have to do this, you can end it right here…" Sasuke replied "Yes, I will end it…right now…" Sasuke unsheathed his Chokuto and readied it. Naruto then said "Sasuke please…don't do this…" Sasuke replied "I've always wondered when you'd be on my level, maybe now you can give me a challenge." Naruto yelled "Sasuke stop this, I don't want to fight!" Sasuke replied "That's where I have to disagree…"

Sasuke disappeared and reappeared in front of Naruto; he hit him square between the eyes with the hilt of his sword and swept him off his feet. As Naruto fell, Sasuke dropped down and kicked him in the face, Naruto slid across the hard ground. Sasuke yelled out "Stop holding back you cocksucker!" Naruto knew that he would have to defend himself against an opponent as powerful as Sasuke but he felt that he couldn't. He couldn't raise a hand against a brother.

Naruto said "Please Sasuke…I'm begging you, stop this!" Sasuke replied while swinging his Chokuto at him"Where is that amazing strength I saw earlier huh? How come you won't use it now?" Naruto had no response, he could easily defend himself against Sasuke by going back into Sage Mode but he couldn't do it, his heart felt too heavy to use his most powerful technique against Sasuke.

Naruto tried his best to avoid Sasuke's attacks, they were all extremely fast and powerful, and Orochimaru had trained him extensively. When Sasuke would attack with a Chidori charged attack, Naruto was especially careful; he did not want to be fried.

Sasuke stopped his attacks and stood still. Naruto was breathing hard with visible damage all over his body. Sasuke said "You really aren't making this fun for me. I hoped to get a little fun out of killing you but I see you're too chicken shit to fight back so I'll end it here and now." Sasuke made a combination of hand signs and raised his hand into the air, highly intense, bright white light had surged from his arm.

"Is it a new attack?" Naruto thought to himself.

Sasuke aimed his arm at Naruto and in a blink of an eye; Naruto was hit square with a amazing burst of lightning.

"Chidori Gun..." Sasuke said.

The wind had been knocked completely out of Naruto, he wondered if he was still alive and then felt something wet and warm on his chest and realized it was his blood. Naruto took and breathe and waited for the ringing in his ear to cease. Naruto staggered himself up and tried to stay up but fell to the ground again.

Sasuke walked briskly up to him and aimed his hand to him. "Thanks for the memories Naruto; I guess I'll see you in the next life." Sasuke let out a small chuckle.

"He's become a monster." Naruto thought. **"He must be destroyed" **Naruto heard the Kyuubi inside him speaking to him. "I can't…" Naruto said to the monster.

"**Why not?"**

Naruto replied "Sasuke is my friend, I can't…I can't…kill him."The Kyuubi monster replied **"You have to understand Naruto that the Uchiha is no longer your friend, his mind has been warped and changed by fantasies of revenge and pride. There is no going back after the things he has done. It is too late to save him." **Naruto replied "No, it's never too late, I can help him, I know I can, he shouldn't have to suffer." The Kyuubi waited a moment and said **"You are such a foolish child, Uzumaki, just like your father…" **Naruto replied "What are you doing?" Naruto was being surrounded by the Kyuubi's chakra.

Naruto yelled "No! I will not!" Naruto resisted the Kyuubi's advances into Naruto's body.

Sasuke said "Are you finally ready to fight or will you die here like an animal?" Naruto didn't say anything. Sasuke then said "Like an animal it is then…" Sasuke charged his arm with the white chakra. Naruto had risen and punched Sasuke in the face with blinding speed and strength, Sasuke was sent flying into a building.

Naruto's eyes were red with chakra from the evil monster residing in his body and mind. Naruto yelled in his warped voice "Sasuke, I will kill you!!"

Sasuke had risen from the rubble and staggered forward, his vision still clouded with stars from the hit. "This power…" Sasuke remembered their battle in the valley of the end. "I'll have to be careful…" Sasuke focused his Sharingan on Naruto.

"I can't let this happen!" Naruto thought, fighting the influence of the Kyuubi.

"Hmm" Sasuke said while he quizzically looked on at Naruto fighting with himself.

"I will do this on my own terms!" Naruto yelled to the fox. The fox replied **"You're 'terms' will get you killed." **Naruto replied "Even so, I will do this on my own, without any of your help so…BACK...OFF!" The Kyuubi waited for a moment and then said **"Fine, if this is how you want to do it, have it that way, but don't expect me to run to your rescue next time the Uchiha boy gives you a boo-boo."**

The blood covered chakra slowly retreated from Naruto's body and Naruto fell to the ground. He was out of breath; forcing the Kyuubi back into submission took an extreme amount of effort from Naruto. Slowly but surely, Naruto was able to get back to his feet.

Sasuke smirked and said "Having some trouble with some neighbors?" Naruto replied "Sasuke, I will not allow this monster inside me to kill you." Sasuke kept the grimace on his face, "I highly doubt you could kill me even with that monster's energy." Sasuke raised his Chokuto.

"Now, are you ready?"

Naruto had finally come to the realization that he could not dissuade Sasuke with words or memories; he would have to show him the error of his ways by force, even if that did indeed mean killing him. Naruto stood straight up with tightened fist.

"Seems Naruto is finally ready to stop fucking around." Sasuke thought

Sasuke rushed Naruto wielding his Chokuto, Naruto parried his strike with a kunai he had in his sleeve, Naruto reached through the opening to try to grab Sasuke but he swiped with a kunai in his free hand and stabbed it into Naruto's forearm, Naruto yelped in pain and Sasuke pulled his Chokuto back and spun and brought for another swing, Naruto was able to pull his arm back before Sasuke would've lopped it off. Naruto jumped forward and delivered a powerful front kick to Sasuke but he blocked it with his sword and was only knocked back.

Naruto stared down Sasuke and then looked at his arm, a steady stream of blood was coming out from it. He decided to rip his sleeve off. He discarded the bloody and dirty section of his sleeve and wrapped the clean portion around the room tightly to stop the bleeding.

"Damn and I liked this jacket too." Naruto thought, now missing his left sleeve.

Sasuke appeared behind Naruto and jabbed his Chokuto right into his back, Naruto exploded into a puff of smoke and Sasuke successfully impaled a straw dummy. Naruto appeared behind Sasuke, he swiped Chokuto and Naruto blew up into smoke again, Naruto then emerged from the ground and a shadow clone had appeared above Sasuke.

Sasuke impaled the Naruto from the air with Chidori and stabbed the other with his Chokuto.

"Seems after all these years all you still do is make these stupid clones and expect to win-"

Sasuke was cut short when he spit up blood up onto the ground. Naruto had stabbed him in the back with a kunai knife.

"How…when did you?"

"When I ripped my sleeve off, I flooded the entire area with shadow clones, there is still a few hundred…hidden. It was easy for me to switch places with one during the fight." Sasuke thought to himself "I didn't anticipate he made so many shadow clones, they must have been suppressing their chakra so my Sharingan wouldn't pick them up."

Naruto smirked.

"I will not lose to this no-good piece of shit anybody. I am Sasuke Uchiha, a member of the most powerful warrior clan ever; I can't lose to this talentless hack!" Sasuke yelled in his head.

Sasuke broke free and swung around.

"Ameterasu."

Sasuke activated Mangekyou Sharingan and Naruto erupted into black flame. Sasuke had spread Ameterasu throughout the area, destroying all shadow clones.

"Now die, loser."

Sasuke closed his left eye. The area was slowly burning into the crisp. Sasuke let out a breath, "See ya Naruto, I wish I could say that was a fun fight…" Sasuke turned and walked away. As he was walking away, a large mound of black fire that was unleashed on the real Naruto started to flicker violently.

Sasuke turned around, "Hmm?"

The black fire was dispelled violently by a large gust of powerful wind. Naruto was enveloped in bright red chakra. Naruto stepped forward and the red chakra dispersed.

"How…how could survive Ameterasu?"

Naruto replied "I guess I just got lucky." Naruto had enveloped himself in Kyuubi chakra to create a protective membrane around him.

"I see I'll need to kill you with my bare hands, I think that is a good idea!"

Sasuke rushed forward with a large bright Chidori in his hand.

Naruto rushed forward with Rasengan in his hand.

Sasuke thrust Chidori into Rasengan and Naruto thrust Rasengan to Chidori. Stray chakra started to whip around violently tearing into the trees and the rocks, tearing them apart. The tension between Rasengan and Chidori was immeasurable and after neither side giving an inch for some time the 2 masses of chakra bounced off each other and Naruto and Sasuke had run past each other due the pull of the chakra.

Neither one wasn't damaged though; Sasuke had hit Naruto with numerous minor bolts of electricity. Naruto grazed Sasuke's side with Rasengan, tearing off half his shirt. Sasuke turned and examined his side, half his torso was now exposed and lightly burned from the wind element chakra. Naruto had a moderate amount of singed holes in his jacket.

Sasuke spit and said "Naruto…"

Naruto replied "Sasuke…"

They both threw a large barrage of kunai at one another. Their kunai bouncing off the other's kunai. After both had totally run out of kunai Sasuke made a combination of hand signs.

"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

A large volley of fireballs were spat from Sasuke's mouth and Naruto was able to dodge many of them before Sasuke had slinked through his own fireballs and uppercut Naruto, then kicked Naruto in the stomach, Naruto lost his breathe and in a instant of pure instinct he grabbed his leg and head-butted him and brawled him. Naruto dropkicked Sasuke into a tree after giving him numerous hooks and jabs.

Sasuke spit out some blood and said while leaning on the tree "How old fashioned, the old beating, haven't had one of those in a while…" Naruto panted for a few seconds and said "Well you got to do what comes naturally right?"

"I guess."

Sasuke had thrown a super fast Chidori senbon at Naruto and hit him in the chin, Naruto was knocked backwards. Sasuke threw out his other finger and another thick Chidori senbon hit Naruto in the shoulder. Naruto yelled out a gasp. Sasuke shot one into his knee. Naruto was brought down on one knee.

Sasuke ran forward and picked Chokuto out of the ground and threw it.

Naruto saw the razor-sharp coming right at his head and made a quick hand sign.

The sword was caught by a long pink tongue. Gamakichi held the sword in his mouth. Sasuke was surprised and said "What the hell is that?" Naruto replied "You never heard of frogs before? Hehehe" Naruto was able to pick himself up and walk over to Gamakichi.

"Wow, he sure put you through the ringer." Gamakichi said while looking at Naruto's chest and his missing sleeve.

Naruto replied "Yeah, I know but I got a few hits on him too!" Gamakichi looked over to Sasuke and examined him. "I see." Naruto replied "So, think you can help me out or what?" Gamakichi replied "Of course boss, anything for you!" Gamakichi yelled out with a salute. Naruto backed up a few steps and said "Wow, calm down a sec big guy."

"Hey! I'm sure you remembered in your little reunion that we're having a fight right now," Sasuke yelled out.

Naruto said to Gamakichi "Let's do it." Gamakichi nodded. Gamakichi threw Chokuto at Sasuke; he caught between his fingers and swung it forward. Naruto hopped on Gamakichi's back and they made simultaneous hand signs.

"Water Style: Aqua Torpedo Jutsu!"

Gamakichi shot a powerful stream of pressured water at Sasuke, he was able to dodge it and the tree behind was taken clear off the ground. Sasuke jumped to the side and Gamakichi followed him with the water jet.

Naruto made a hand sign and concentrated his chakra and clapped his together with all his might and a large wave of wind chakra was absorbed into the water jet and the strength of the water jet was greatly increased and the water jet easily tore the ground and rocks and trees like paper, making numerous debris piles and trenches.

Sasuke concentrated his chakra into his arm until bright white light emanated from his arm, and stretched his arm out.

"Chidori gun!"

Sasuke shot the large shotgun burst of electricity into the water jet and the water collided with the water and the electricity danced along the water jet and exploded into Gamakichi's face, making the water flow stop and the water then evaporated.

The smoke cleared and Naruto and Gamakichi were on the floor with swirls in their eyes.

"Naruto?"

"Yeah, Gamakichi?"

"I think I'll go home now…"

"Ok!"

Gamakichi exploded into a huff of smoke and disappeared. Naruto stood back up.

Sasuke said to Naruto "No more unwanted guests, this is our fight." Naruto replied "If you say so." Sasuke picked a kunai out of the ground and tossed it at him.

"Come on and fight me."

Sasuke had activated the Mangekyou Sharingan, as to what power he was going to use, Naruto did not know. Naruto picked up the kunai knife and pulled himself up. Sasuke rushed forward and shot Chidori senbon around him making sparks of electricity dance around his body, Naruto was brought to his knees and Sasuke appeared in front of him and grabbed his head and looked into his eyes.

"Tsukoyomi."

Naruto found himself in the chamber of his mind where the Kyuubi is housed. He looked into the cage and saw the monster resting in the back of the cage. He let out a soft gasp and looked down and saw a blade through him, dripping with his blood. Sasuke stood behind him. "I thought this monster would like to see you die in person." Naruto replied "Sasuke…no…"

Sasuke pulled out his sword and put it back in at a different angle, Naruto's screams alerted the Kyuubi and the monster instantly jumped into the bars of the cage and sent Sasuke flying into the wall, covered in the monster's vile chakra. Sasuke was slowly being burnt by it he was able to regain control and walked back to Naruto, now with the Kyuubi watching behind him.

"So, this is the freak that the village stuck you with…"

The monster growled and barked at Sasuke. He smirked and walked to Naruto.

"What's wrong Naruto, paralyzed by fear?"

Sasuke waited for a few moments then started to get agitated.

"Don't fucking ignore me!"

Sasuke grabbed Naruto neck and started to choke him out but Naruto still did not move. "What are you doing huh!?" Sasuke yelled more "Answer me!"

Sasuke looked down at his hands and saw that his hands had changed. They had changed to stone. Naruto raised his head, and Sasuke looked into the eyes of a frog. Naruto punched Sasuke in the stomach with massive force and Sasuke spit up a large amount of blood. They had returned into the real world and Naruto had transformed into Sage Mode.

Sasuke took a few steps back and said "What is this? What are you!?"

Naruto walked forward. As Naruto walked forward, his natural chakra emanated from his body. Small saplings had started to grow where their battle had destroyed trees. Sasuke could only watch in confusion as the area had started to rebuild itself, the city-like area where they were fighting had trees and other plants growing through buildings and cars and paved street.

Sasuke took a few more steps back and said "Get away…stay away from me you freak!"

Naruto walked to him and said "What's wrong Sasuke? Am I scaring you?" Sasuke gasped and tightened his fist and struck forward with Chidori. It dug into Naruto's chest but Chidori could not penetrate Naruto's barrier of natural chakra, Chidori slowly dissipated out of Sasuke's hand and wrapped around Naruto's body and was absorbed.

Sasuke jumped back toward into the city areas. He leapt onto a very building. He swung onto the roof and attempted to run away but Naruto was already waiting for him. Naruto backhanded Sasuke to the other side of the roof. Sasuke had pulled himself up and jumped to the largest building in the city, a very tall 60+ building, where most likely politicians circulated but it was not abandoned after Madara's attack.

Sasuke jumped through a window and hid in one of the offices.

"He's…he's too-"Sasuke was pulled through a wall and thrown through a pillar and into a wall that collapsed, leaving Sasuke half hanging out the side. Sasuke turned his head and looked down; a fall from this height in his condition could definitely hurt him. He looked forward and saw Naruto walked toward him. He swung his legs and back flipped out the hole and ran up the building as fast as he could.

Sasuke thought to himself "Got to get away from him, got to think…"

He jumped onto the large roof. He ran forward to jump off the opposite side but Naruto appeared in front and kicked at him but Sasuke dodged it and jumped on his leg and punched him in the face as hard as he could, he then back flip kicked him and drop kicked him in the chest and then grabbed his arm and threw him across the roof.

Naruto pulled himself up and took a breath. Sasuke thought to himself "He's not invincible; I just got to beat him up!" Sasuke used his Sharingan to guide him and was able to trade blows with Naruto, he made sure to dodge Naruto's hits since they had become herculean in strength and could crush him. After a large string of melee attacks Sasuke gathered chakra in his hand and uppercut Naruto in the chin with all his might, making Naruto flip back onto his stomach.

Sasuke took his Chokuto and drove it down into Naruto's back but it was a clone and Naruto appeared in front of him so fast, Sasuke couldn't compensate and in a split second used his sword to block his punch. Sasuke was thrown back to the edge of the roof from the sheer energy of the hit, his sword shattered into dust. Sasuke dropped the now useless hilt on the ground, a small broken shard still embedded in it.

"This is ridiculous…" Sasuke thought to himself. He was nearly out of chakra, he was crying tears of blood from both eyes and he now could barely feel his right arm. He brushed off the side of his shirt that was left.

Naruto then said "Sasuke…I really hoped it wouldn't had come to this but I see that there is no other choice, for the safety of my friends, my village, and yourself, I must kill you." He summoned 2 shadow clones, one of each side of him.

Sasuke made a combination of hand signs.

"Fire Style: Lion's Roar Jutsu!"

Sasuke spit a large wave of fire that made a deafening roar, Naruto jumped up and avoided the hit but the clones were destroyed, the fire then curved up at Naruto followed him into the air, Naruto made a Rasengan and made a hole in the wave of fire which he fell through. He created another Rasengan and aimed it Sasuke.

"Rasengan!"

Naruto thrust his Rasengan into Sasuke's chest, the whole roof being paraded with chakra and white light. Naruto jumped back and surveyed the damage. The smoke slowly cleared but Naruto noticed something red glowing in the smoke. "What is that?" Naruto said out loud. A large flaming sword burst from the smoke and swung downward at Naruto.

He dodged to side, the giant sword crushing the ground where Naruto stood. "Yikes" Naruto said to himself. The smoke cleared and Naruto saw that Sasuke surrounded by a large red monster.

"Naruto, this is Susano'o, the guardian of the Sharingan!"

Naruto repeated "Susano'o?"

Sasuke replied "Yes, now see the ultimate power of the Uchiha!" Susano'o swung its large sword at Naruto, he dodged it and threw numerous kunai at it but it easily deflected it with its large shield. Naruto got a quick second to wrap some exploding tags to his remaining kunai. He dodged the next swing and threw the exploding kunai directly at Sasuke but the shield easily took the explosion.

Naruto thought to himself, "Shit, how am I supposed to destroy this thing…should I use…?" Naruto jumped to a adjacent building of equal height and summoned 2 shadow clones.

Sasuke yelled "Naruto!? What are you doing?"

The clones created the incredible Rasen-Shuriken. Naruto held it in hand and ran forward. Susano'o swung his sword destroyed the 2 shadow clones, Naruto bypassed the creature's sword and thrust the Rasen-Shuriken into the monster but it raised its incredible shield. An amazing clash ensued Susano'o pushed forward.

Naruto gasped at the creature's amazing resilience. "This thing is certainly something." Naruto pushed forward as well, putting all his power into the attack, now channeling all his natural chakra into the Rasen-Shuriken. The 2 were not giving up. Sasuke yelled "Naruto!" Naruto yelled "Sasuke!"

After moments of incredible tension, the creature's shield soon started to crack as well the Rasen-Shuriken. Sasuke and Naruto simultaneously said "Oh no!" Susano'o swung the hilt of the sword and hit Naruto in the back with bone shattering force. Naruto was badly hurt from the monster's strike but it did act as a catapult to smash through the shield, the Rasen-Shuriken, now broken into pieces but somehow still spinning hit Sasuke.

"No, this can't happen, not to me…" Sasuke thought as he was enveloped by light.

A loud explosion and large plume of a black smoke billowed from the roof. After several minutes the smoke had finally cleared. Sasuke was fatally injured by the Rasen-Shuriken. Naruto had run out of the natural chakra and so had reverted back into his normal form.

Sasuke opened his eyes and looked around, he took a deep breath and the air filled his lungs after what seemed like years of breathlessness. Sasuke was able to struggle greatly back to his feet, fortunately for him, the Rasen-Shuriken had been greatly reduced in power, and otherwise, he would've been dead. Naruto was able to struggle to his feet as well.

Sasuke was unable to activate his Sharingan due to prolonged use of Mangekyou Sharingan.

Sasuke said "Naruto, we have to finish this…" Naruto replied "Yes…" They limped toward each other and Sasuke threw himself and a punch into Naruto's face, falling on his hands on knees. Naruto flailed his arms and regained his balance and kicked Sasuke in the side. Sasuke fell over and grabbed Naruto's leg and pulled him down. They rolled around, trading punches until Naruto was able to kick him off and Sasuke grabbed onto a piece of pillar.

Naruto got up and tackled him to the ground, punching him in the face repeatedly, Sasuke swung up and head butted Naruto, knocking him back. They both stood up and ran at each other and punched each other in the face with full force. They looked into each other's eyes until they both fell down. Sasuke reached and backslapped Naruto, he retaliated with a swift to the side.

Naruto pulled himself up one more time and so did Sasuke. Neither one was going to surrender. Neither had chakra, any stamina, ninja tools or sense anymore, they just wanted to beat the other into a pulp.

Sasuke said "Naruto, I'm going to end it now!" Naruto replied "Please feel free!"

Sasuke reached out his hand and tried to concentrate chakra into his palm, but he had no chakra at all. After a few moments of pure will power, A few mild sparks surrounded his hand. Naruto did the same except a small circular breeze in his palm.

Sasuke then said "Now…" Naruto replied "Here I come!"

They ran at other and thrust their final attacks at the other. A small explosion followed suit. The smoke cleared and they were both knocked out. Naruto had sparks jumping off his body and a large hole in his jacket which showed burnt flesh. The right side of Sasuke's chest had been mildly torn at.

After hours unconscious, somebody had appeared.

"It seems I missed a spectacular fight…"

Madara Uchiha walked over to Naruto and bent over. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pouch containing the bead he pursued. He put it in his pocket. He pulled a kunai and hung over Naruto's throat. He thought about it for a moment and looked at Sasuke. "Too easy…" Madara put the kunai back in his pouch and walked over and picked Sasuke and absorbed him into the alternate dimension inside his Sharingan. Madara turned and said "Goodbye Naruto Uzumaki, can't wait to see you again…"


	7. Just Good Friends

A loud gasp filled the room. Naruto had awoken to a gentle breeze blowing through the window.

"Where am I?" Naruto thought to himself. He looked around and saw his tattered clothes in a hamper on the opposite side of the moderately sized hospital room. Then it all came back to him. He remembered the fight between him and Sasuke. He remembered fighting for his life. He remembered both of them being knocked out. "I have to…figure out where I am…"

Naruto was able to slowly turn himself out of the bed and get out of it. He fell to the floor immediately. He turned and noticed the cast on his knee, the knee Sasuke injured with his Chidori senbon. He opened the hospital shirt he had on and noticed many bandages around his torso and his arms.

He grabbed the wall and steadily pulled himself back up. He limped slowly towards the hamper and riffled through the clothes. "Fuck." Naruto uttered to himself. He looked through all the pockets 3 or 4 times before giving up. The bead was gone. Naruto figured Madara must have taken after the fight. "If I had stayed in Sage Mode longer I could've…" Naruto pondered what could've happened if Naruto had stayed a Sage a little while longer but he figured there was no use in crying over spilled milk.

Naruto surveyed his surroundings; it was obvious he was in a hospital. As to what hospital and specifically where he was, that was a little more important. He looked through the drawers and studied the generic, lame paintings that were on the wall. "I guess I should get out of here." Naruto walked toward the window and opened the drapes. "Is this the same town?" The city looked different, full of life, unlike the massacre by Madara Uchiha.

He didn't want to garner any unwanted attention by jumping out the window, so he closed the drapes and went to the door. He hesitated to open the door but opened it anyway. He stuck his head out the door way and looked around, there was no one to be seen. He said hello out loud a few times but no one answered. He walked down the hallways that had children's artwork and pictures on the walls. He found calendars and mobile computer labs down every hallway. He peeked in patient's rooms and saw patients resting with their machinery and whatnot.

Naruto still could not find any staff or anyone for that matter beside the ill. Naruto found the nursing station and looked through the office; he found plates of food…still warm. "Somebody was here recently." He walked around some more until he gave up on finding anyone on that floor. It was a 4 story hospital, someone had to be here. Naruto was on the 4th so he made his way down. He looked in every room and in every office, he still couldn't find anyone.

"This is starting to get creepy, where is everyone?" Naruto was on the first floor now; he had looked through the entire hospital. The only people that were there were the infirm. He walked to reception and picked the phone and dialed the intercom number and spoke "Will any hospital staff please report to the reception desk?" Nobody came after 10 minutes.

Naruto walked down a hallway he didn't explore yet. He walked down a flight of stairs into the boiler room. He yelled for any workers but there was nobody there. He turned the corner and fell into a hole. Naruto landed with a thud. After coming to his senses, he picked himself up and saw what he had landed on.

He had fallen into a mass grave. All the hospital staff were violently murdered and thrown into a big hole. He hurriedly pulled himself up and couldn't take his focus off the sight of gruesomeness before him.

Naruto yelled "What the fuck is going on here!?"

A voice came out from behind him. "Die." Naruto turned around and saw a creature in a mask like ANBU or tracer ninjas wear. Naruto couldn't move to defend himself. The monster swung what looked like a katana and decapitated Naruto. His head fell to the floor with a thud and the last thing Naruto saw was his body lashing around before all he saw was darkness.

"NO! NO! NO! SOMEONE! HELP ME!"

Naruto was being held down by numerous nurses and doctors. Naruto screaming hysterically and lashing about, sending doctors and nurses like into the walls. After 10 or so minutes Naruto calmed down and realized his head was still attached. He swallowed and let out a sigh.

"Another nightmare."

A doctor he threw on the ground had gotten up and said "Yes, a very bad one at that." Naruto turned his head and said "Where am I?" The doctor smiled and replied "It's okay young man, you're safe, we found in the Renzo district of the city, it seemed everyone was dead except you and there are some officers outside who would like to speak with you."

Naruto nodded and 2 official looking women walked in. They were both very beautiful and didn't look much older than Naruto himself. "Can I help you?" He asked. The first women introduced herself, "Hello, my name is Misa." The other woman introduced herself as well, "And I'm Noko." They both had a warm smile and Naruto couldn't brush off such pretty and nice looking ladies.

"I just need to ask you some questions, Naruto." Misa said. Naruto replied "How did you know my name?" Noko replied "We ran a check on you and made a few calls to Konoha, they're aware of what has happened and has sent an escort to take you back, they should be here shortly." Naruto sighed and said "Ok…so what do you want to know? Why I was the only one alive or how everyone in Renzo died?" Noko replied "Both would be a good start." Naruto replied "You ladies better grab a seat and a snack, it's a long story."

They both got some chairs and sat down and listened to Naruto's whole story. Misa asked "So this…Madara wanted to find this bead for some nasty plan?" Naruto nodded. Noko then said "And how about this Sasuke Uchiha, how about him?" Naruto replied "He and Madara were kind of partners he helped him get the bead from me." Noko replied "And you have no idea where they are now?" Naruto nodded with a sad look on his face. Noko sat on the bed and put her hand on his shoulder, her hand was very warm and soft. She said "I'm sorry; I know this Sasuke was your friend but he's done many terrible things and it's my job to put him in jail." Naruto looked at her and said "I know." Noko and Misa stood up and said "Thank you Naruto for your help." Naruto gave her a smile and nodded. Misa and Noko started to walk out and when Naruto called to them.

Noko said "Yes?"

"Did you find someone named Ino Yamanaka?"

Misa said "Ummm…yeah, now that I think about it, we questioned a young lady from Konoha by that name. Said she knew you and wanted to speak to you but you were still unconscious so…" Naruto then said "She's here?" Noko replied "Yup, she's in the waiting room, I think she nodded off…want me to send her in here?" Naruto replied "Yes thank you." Misa then said "Ok, bye now!" They both smiled and walked out.

Naruto sat back in his bed. It was comfortable, Naruto felt content with the gentle breeze floating in. After a few minutes, a sleepy looking Ino walked into his room, letting a big yawn. Naruto spoke softly "How attractive." Ino was at attention and saw Naruto awake and looking fine. She was so happy she started to tear and jumped in to Naruto's arms.

"Did you miss me?"

Ino nodded, rubbing her head against his chest. "I thought you were dead and I found out you were here and I was so happy but they said you didn't look good and thought maybe…I thought…" Naruto interrupted her with a kiss on her forehead. "I'm fine Ino, see?" He let her up and got out of bed."I'm fine." Naruto said with a smile. Ino wiped her eyes and wrapped her around him again. She said "I'm just glad you're okay and here with me." Naruto stroked her hair and said "Me too."

Ino let him go after what seemed like ages and said "Neji and Lee are coming to get you." Naruto replied "When?" Ino replied "Any minute now, I think…" Naruto smiled and reached forward and kissed her lips. Ino put her arms around his neck and kissed him back. After a few minutes of mild making out somebody said "Interrupting anything?"

Naruto broke the kiss and turned and saw Neji with Lee standing behind him. Naruto coughed and straightened up and said "Neji…how long have you been standing there?" Neji replied "Long enough." Lee then said "Neji, leave them alone, they are enjoying their youth!" Lee had tears in his eyes "I wish I could smooch Sakura like that!?" he thought to himself.

Neji sneered at the look on Lee's face and walked to Naruto and Ino. "Are you ready to leave?" Naruto replied "Yeah sure." Neji then said "I believe the orderly told me they were able to repair your clothes." Naruto replied "Huh, really? They were really messed up…" Naruto walked over to the closet. His clothes were hanging on the hanger, totally repaired and looking like the day he bought them. He walked in to the bathroom and got dressed and walked out. "Let's get out of here."

They left the hospital after signing off on some forms. Naruto said to Neji, "So Neji, are we going straight to Konoha?" Neji replied "Those are my orders. Why? Have any stops planned?" Naruto looked back to Ino and said "Kind of."

They stopped in a cemetery. Naruto found the grave site of Ryu and his family. He placed a bouquet of flowers on the main headstone and said "I'm sorry I dragged you into this, please forgive me someday." He turned to Neji and said "Let's go Neji." Neji replied "Ok."

It was a relatively quiet trip.

They arrived in Konoha sooner than they thought. "I'll go inform the hokage that we've arrived." Neji said. Neji turned and disappeared. Lee turned Ino and Naruto around and said "Your love is an inspiration to all of us!" Lee was crying now. He then disappeared. Ino turned to Naruto "Wow, he is weird, a damn good fighter…but weird." Naruto replied "I second the motion."

They giggled and went to go get some ramen.

Naruto sat down in his usual seat and Ino next to him. Naruto ordered his favorite miso pork. Ino got some chicken fricassee ramen. After they were done, Ino insisted on walking him home. "Really honey, you don't have to." Ino replied "I know, but I want to."

Ino took his arm and walked him along. Naruto was actually happy Ino wanted to walk him home. He couldn't help but smile. Ino looked back at him and frequently asked if something was the matter and Naruto would just say no.

They finally arrived after a leisurely walk through town; it was actually very pretty during the later hours.

"Hey, I left some of my plates in your place…" Ino said. Naruto replied "Oh ok then come on up." They walked up the stairs and Naruto opened the door. Naruto walked in and reached around for the light switch, he finally found it and switched on the light. "Hey Ino, I finally got the ligh-"Naruto was interrupted by Ino slowly wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him in for a kiss.

Naruto was surprised but only for a half second before slowly putting his arms around her waist and kissing her back. After a few minutes of making out Naruto broke the kiss and looked into her blue ocean-like eyes. "You don't have any plates here do you?" Ino smiled and caressed his cheek. "You really are something, Naruto."

Naruto replied "Really? How so?" Ino ran her fingers through his soft blonde hair. Ino replied "It's just the way you do things. Sometimes you're ridiculous, sometimes you make no sense, and sometimes…sometimes…you're just a genius." Naruto couldn't help but blush.

Ino leaned in for another kiss.

"Those kisses are better than any ramen."

Ino blushed and hugged him. "I love you." Naruto looked in her eyes and said "I love you too."

Ino turned around and sat down on the floor in front of the door. Naruto sat down next to her. After a few minutes of being in silence, Naruto asked, "What are you thinking about?" Ino replied "Nothing, just thinking…I guess…uhhh…hmm…" Naruto saw that Ino had a confused look on her face, like not knowing what to say next.

Naruto leaned over and placed his head on her shoulder. Ino noticed and said "Whatcha doin'?" Naruto replied "Just putting my head on your shoulder, that okay?" Ino nodded and stroked his head for a few minutes. After her arm had gotten tired, she put her arm back at her side and noticed Naruto had fallen asleep. Ino reached over and kissed his forehead.

"Goodnight honey."

Ino had put her head back against the door, she was stuck. Ino smiled and took a breath and after a few minutes she fell asleep too.

Ino had woken up the following morning. She noticed Naruto was no longer there next to her, she chuckled to herself. She felt a little sad Naruto wasn't there. She got up and had a big kink in her back; sleeping on the floor against a door will do that to you. She reached her arms back and cracked her spine; a loud snapping sound reverberated throughout the apartment. She actually scared herself.

"Wow." A voice said from behind her. Ino swung around, startled. "Naruto, what are you doing there?" Naruto replied "Getting you some juice." Ino saw a cup of orange juice. It looked good so Ino took it and drank it. "Good?" Ino replied "Mhmm." Naruto then said "I got some pastries if you want one…" Ino was curious what goodies Naruto kept in his house. She found some fresh strawberry and guava pastries on the table. "Naruto must've just bought these." Ino took one and it was delicious.

Ino got up from the table. "Thanks for dinner…and breakfast…I got to go, my dad must be having a shit fit." Naruto replied "Ok…well see ya later honey." Ino smiled and walked around the table and sat on the table and gave Naruto a big French kiss. After Ino pulled away, Naruto said "Wow…delicious…and the pastries aren't that bad either." Naruto took a bite of a guava pastry. Ino laughed and kissed him on the cheek. She walked to the door and turned and waved, Naruto waved back. Ino was halfway out the door when Naruto called to her. Ino stuck her head in the room and said "Yes?" Naruto choked on his words for a moment before saying "I…I love you Ino." Ino's expression changed from happy to "megahappywinwinsmiles" she was very happy to the say the least. Ino replied "I love you too. I'll see you soon." Ino winked and walked out.

Naruto sat back and said to himself "I love you…I love you…oh man…I'm in love with Ino…" Naruto took another bite off his yummy pastry and leaned back too far and the chair was swept out from under him and he fell and hit his head with a loud "KLONK!"


	8. Return of a Cannibal

Naruto was feeling kind of "out of body" since his revelation about Ino. He had never been in love before. It was such uncharted territory. "I like being in love." Naruto thought to himself. He felt it was a good thing, a new chapter in his life. He always thought he was doomed to have bad luck with the ladies. And here he was, in a relationship with one of most beautiful women in Konoha. He was a lucky guy.

It had been a week since his last nightmare. Naruto was happy he could a full night's sleep without jumping into the ceiling in a cold sweat every 3 hours. It was a Saturday morning and Naruto walked into his kitchen. He got some O.J. out of the refrigerator and poured himself a glass.

He walked over to his window and looked over the city. It was raining pretty hard; it had been that way all week. Naruto walked over to his computer and opened it up. He opened his e-mail and opened the most recent one. It was from the Konoha police force.

"_All residents of Konohagakure please exercise strict caution when venturing from your homes after 8:00pm. There has been an inexplicable string of murders recently in the business, market, and red light districts. If you must leave your homes late at night, please travel in large groups."_

"Way to ruin my nice morning. Geez it's always with this shit isn't it? Crazy motherfuckers…" Naruto said to himself.

Naruto had recently been brought into the police division of Konoha since Ino's father decided to make some…"comments." It was now Naruto's job to bring in the crazies. There was a knock at the door and Naruto walked over and answered the door. It was Ino.

"Hey there honey."

Ino replied "Good morning, my dear." Naruto let her in and said "So how can I help you?" Ino replied "Well, you can give me a kiss for starters." Naruto smiled and bent over and gave her a kiss on her lips. Ino then said "I love how those kisses are so soft and yummy." Ino blushed and licked her lips.

Naruto then said "So what do you need honey pie?" Ino handed him some papers. "Some evidence papers. This asshole running out and experimenting on people is really scaring people out and spooking a lot of politicians. Seems this…" Ino looked through the papers. "This guy is copying the Orochimaru murders." Naruto replied "Wonderful, another Orochimaru. This is just what we need."

When the afternoon rolled around, Naruto left his place and went for a walk, which he often did. He was stopped by Konohamaru. He said "Hey Naruto." Naruto replied "What are you up to?" Konohamaru replied "Oh I was practicing Rasengan, It'll soon be better than yours." Naruto replied "Hahaha, hopefully, then you can take my place as resident ass-kicker." Konohamaru replied "You know, one of these days…you and me, 1 on 1, no holds barred." Naruto replied "Sure thing bud, next time I have time I'll be happy to fight you." Konohamaru replied "You'd better."

Naruto turned around and said "So what are you doing right now?" Konohamaru replied "Nothing." Naruto replied "Ok, wanna help me out with something?" Konohamaru then said "Sure."

Naruto took Konohamaru to the police station. "Ok, I need you to deliver these around." Naruto handed Konohamaru some papers. Konohamaru said "What the hell is this?" Naruto replied with a smile "Some fliers, I need you to hand them out; tells them to be careful of the killer on the loose." Konohamaru groaned, "I thought you needed me for something maybe…I don't know, exciting?" Naruto replied "Spreading the word is exciting, now get out of here."

Konohamaru huffed and walked out with the papers. Naruto smiled and said to himself "He's a good kid; he'll have to be good to beat me one-on-one." Naruto sat down and arched back. He started thinking about the Orochimaru files. He had read them numerous times now. He wondered why some copy cat would show up now of all times when their in the midst of finding Madara Uchiha.

Naruto looked around the crowded office. He turned on the computer and looked over the Orochimaru files again. There had to be something he missed, something he overlooked. If there was, Naruto was determined to find it. After hours of reading the enormous case file, Naruto looked at the clock, it was time to leave. Everyone had already left except the night shift shinobi.

Naruto turned off his light and got up. His back was stiff and he had too much coffee, strange thing was, Naruto wasn't a big coffee drinker and he'd been drinking it like water for the past week. "I need to lay off this shit." Naruto threw away the paper coffee cup. He had been up fairly late every night for the past week and that morning was the 1st morning he's been able to get some decent rest. This case, being so similar to Naruto's experiences, had a deeper meaning to him.

Naruto walked out the building and looked at his watch. It was 11 at night. "I was at my desk all fucking day…" Naruto groaned and stretched, he hated the uncomfortable wooden chair. He only kept the job as a way to keep Ino's father happy, and Ino was happy that Naruto helps her dad. The things you do for love.

Naruto looked in the reflection on his watch. He hadn't shaven in weeks; he looked like a hot mess. Naruto sighed and walked down an alley way. After 10 minutes Naruto heard a strange rustling. There was nobody on the street this late. The rustling sound continued, Naruto reached into his ninja pouch. "Who's there?"

The rustling stopped.

"What's going on here?"

He stood up straight and put his knife back into his pouch. "Guess it was a rat or somet-"Naruto heard a female scream from nearby and turned and ran toward it as fast as he could. Naruto turned the corner and saw a hooded figure standing over a dead woman, and in his hands was the woman's still beating heart.

Naruto yelled "What are you doing?!" The hooded figure turned, still holding the beating heart in his hand. "What am I doing? I'm getting my dinner…" The hooded figure put the heart up to the opening of the hood and Naruto heard chewing sounds. He felt sick to his stomach. "Who the fuck are you?" The hooded figure stopped feeding in the heart and said "I'm just a regular guy with a hungry stomach, you understand don't you?" Naruto got mad and said "Oh yeah? You're hungry? Well eat on this!"

Naruto created a Rasengan in his hand and threw it at the hooded figure. The figure put out his arm and caught it. He then squeezed it until it exploded in his hand. After the smoke dissipated, Naruto saw that the figure's hand was heavily damaged and bleeding profusely.

Naruto said "Your hand…" The hooded figure put his arm by his side. "You know Naruto, I always wanted to meet you in person, which is why I've been doing this lately…" Naruto replied "How do you know my name?" The hooded figure said "Oh we've been watching you for quite some time."

Naruto then said "Who's 'we'?" The hooded figure let out a generic evil guy chuckle. He stepped forward and Naruto stepped back. He raised his other hand. It was white, and looked like it'd been through a meat grinder and hurriedly sown together. He raised it to his face and took the hood off.

Naruto stepped back. "No, it can't be you. You're supposed to be dead…" The hooded figure smiled and said "No, not dead. Just…been away for awhile, stuck in this…less than desirable host of a shell." Naruto then got agitated "Tell me…tell me…" The hooded figure smiled and said "Tell you what…Naruto?" Naruto replied "Tell me what you're doing here…OROCHIMARU!"

The figure underneath was the homunculus that had been created when Kabuto absorbed what was left of Orochimaru's life force after Sasuke had killed him. Now he found sick sustenance in acts of vampirism/cannibalism.

Naruto said "Why have you decided to show yourself now?" Orochimaru replied "Calm down, I'm not here to fight-"Naruto had appeared next to him and punched him through a wall. Naruto walked into the empty store he punched the homunculus through. "Naruto, must you really jump to conclusions and act so brash?" Orochimaru was sitting against the wall he hit; there was a large circular imprint on the wall.

Naruto grabbed him by the shirt collar and said "What the fuck are you doing here?" Orochimaru smiled and replied "Well…if you must know…I came with a warning." Naruto replied "A warning?" Orochimaru squirmed and Naruto released his grip on him. Orochimaru then said "Yes, a warning, concerning the Uchihas…" He had gotten Naruto's attention. "Tell me." Orochimaru replied "As you wish…"

Orochimaru brushed off the dust and raised the hand that was torn up. He focused his chakra into and it healed sloppily into messily stitched together flesh, he had turned into a run-of-the-mill Frankenstein monster.

Naruto tensed up but Orochimaru smiled and said "I've been studying Madara Uchiha recently. I've learned that he is planning something involving this old relic." Naruto instantly knew what he was talking about; he was talking about the small red bead they had found on the corpse of Madara's deceased wife.

Orochimaru continued "I've been doing some studying about this relic. Apparently, in a nutshell, this relic was used by ancient inhabitants of that region for old rituals which dabbled in reincarnation…think of it as the first kind of jutsu." Naruto then said "Continue." Orochimaru replied "Of course…now I don't know what Madara plans to do with this relic but it may involve his plot to rule the earth with Mugen Tsukiyomi." Naruto replied "Mugen Tsukiyomi? But we stopped him years ago!" Orochimaru replied "Calm down, if it's what I think it is, Mugen Tsukiyomi will be the least of our worries."

Naruto waited and let Orochimaru's words sink in. "And what do you think it is?" Orochimaru replied "Naruto, do you know why Madara only has one Sharingan eye when you know he has access to dozens?" Naruto replied "It's a fashion statement?" Orochimaru replied "Cute…but the reason he has only one is that body of his, it can only hold one." Naruto replied "Why?" Orochimaru "The body he has, the body of another Uchiha that goes by the name of Obito. Why don't you ask your Kakashi Sensei to shed some light on that subject?" Naruto replied "Kakashi? What would he know about this?" Orochimaru reached into his cloak. Naruto readied himself for an attack.

Orochimaru chuckled and said "Relax, because of my sloppy fusion with this body I can barely scratch my ass, let alone get in a fight with a Jinchuuriki. Maybe if you can find another…more suitable body for me, I'd be happy to…" Orochimaru put his hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Don't fucking touch me!" Naruto uppercut Orochimaru into the ceiling and threw him into the wall.

Naruto walked over. Orochimaru held up his hands "Please…no more…" Orochimaru coughed up some blood. His face was grotesque, you could obviously tell where Kabuto's started and Orochimaru's started. "Don't touch me you monster." Orochimaru replied "Calm down, I just wanted to give you this." Orochimaru gave him an envelope. Naruto then said "What's this?"

Orochimaru then said "Those are all notes of what I have learned about this relic and other theories. I know a lot about Madara so I put everything I know in there. It's all yours. I would've killed Madara and Sasuke myself but in my condition…well it's obvious I'm not up to the task…but you are." Orochimaru pulled himself up.

Naruto said "Why would you help me?" Orochimaru replied "Because I like there to be only one bad guy around and I can't have some Uchiha asshole ruining my fun…" Orochimaru chuckled. Naruto pushed him into a wall and punched his head into the brick wall. Orochimaru groaned with pain. Naruto then said "That's for the people you've murdered you monster."

Orochimaru fell to the ground and said "You don't have to say it, ya know. I know I'm a monster, I've been turned into this…this thing…and it's all Sasuke Uchiha's fault." Naruto replied "You deserved what you got." Orochimaru paused for a moment and said "Fine then…" Orochimaru stood up and turned around. "I'm leaving now."

"You're not going anywhere. You still have to answer for the crimes you've committed." Naruto reached to grab him but Orochimaru quickly parried him and kicked him through a wall.

Naruto picked himself and said "You seem to be doing well to me…" Orochimaru smiled and threw a smoke bomb. Naruto dived into the smoke Orochimaru had already disappeared. Naruto then said to himself "Fuck."

Naruto walked over and picked up the notebook Orochimaru left to him. He opened it and read it through when he got home. He had learned many disturbing things. Madara had done this before, Orochimaru wrote. Madara has used ancient relics with ancient keys to extremely powerful archaic jutsu. The one that seemed most immediate was the reincarnation jutsu. As he read he learned many revelations.

This reincarnation was nothing like the jutsu Orochimaru utilized. This one was perfect. Perfect synch between the 2 bodies, resulting in a host that had the power of both beings combined. If Madara used this with someone at his level of power, he would be unbeatable. It was then Naruto realized something and ran out the door. He ran to Kakashi's apartment. He pounded on the door for 15 minutes before he finally answered the door.

"Naruto, do you know what time it is? I'm not really in the mood for games." Kakashi said. Naruto replied "Kakashi, I need to talk to you, it's really important." Kakashi replied "Do we need to do this now?" Naruto showed the mark where Orochimaru kicked him. "I just got my ass kicked by Orochimaru, yes now!" Kakashi let him in.

Kakashi then said "So…it seems Orochimaru isn't dead after all then?" Naruto replied "No, but he's a lot weaker now since that botched reincarnation jutsu." Kakashi replied "So why are you here?" Naruto pulled out the notebook and put it on the table. "Tell me about Obito Uchiha." Kakashi sighed and sat down. He gestured for him to take a seat and Naruto sat down.

Kakashi told Naruto the whole story about Obito Uchiha, who he was…their friendship…and how he died. Naruto then said after Kakashi was finished "That's why…" Kakashi replied "That's why what?" Naruto stood and said "That's why Madara only has one Sharingan eye. Madara reincarnated himself into Obito's body." Kakashi replied "Impossible."

Naruto said "Is it? Think about it, a ninja as powerful as Madara would have reincarnation jutsu that blows Orochimaru's out of the water. He would have a jutsu as powerful as to reanimate Obito's body." Kakashi replied "Possibly, but the odds are…" Naruto replied "Come on, all the signs and the notes in this book say 'yes'." Kakashi sat for a moment and concentrated. "Yes, the simple fact that he has Sharingan eye in the right socket which was underneath the boulder. And the whole right side of his body is covered with those bolts. I can't believe I didn't see it before…" Kakashi felt anger at Madara for doing this to his friend. "He will pay for this."

Naruto said "That's the spirit." Kakashi replied "So what do we do now?" Naruto replied "Figure out what Madara's angle is. He obviously has had this body for much longer than 3 years which means that Madara's version of the reincarnation jutsu is permanent. But since that body is so fucked up, maybe he needs a new body to be in, one that won't hold him back and make him more powerful in the process." Kakashi then said "You don't think…Sasuke do you?" Naruto replied "I'd guess so, since he's become so powerful and has the Mangekyou, he's a prime candidate." Kakashi replied "What do you wanna do?" Naruto paused and sat down. Kakashi then said "Whatever decision you make, I'm behind you." Naruto looked up and Kakashi had taken his headband off, revealing his Sharingan eye. Naruto then said "You know, since you have a Sharingan eye, he could go after you as well." Kakashi replied "Well excuse me Mr. Sage Master but I think I can hold my own." Naruto chuckled.

Kakashi then said "Are you going to bring anyone with you?" Naruto replied "What do you mean?" Kakashi replied "Surely you're going to lead this journey?" Naruto replied "What journey?" Kakashi replied "You can stop playing stupid, Naruto." Naruto chuckled and said "Was it that obvious?" Kakashi smiled under his mask.

Naruto then said "You're going with me?" Kakashi replied "Sasuke is just as much my responsibility as yours. It's only right that I go." Naruto then said "Ok then."

After a few minutes Kakashi broke the silence "Go tell her…" Naruto smiled and said "You'll be waiting?" Kakashi replied "Yep." Naruto turned and ran down the street, jumping from building to building.

Naruto arrived at Ino's house. Ino was happy to see him and she said "Hey honey, what are you up to?" Naruto explained everything. After 20 minutes Ino then said "You want me to go with you? An actual mission…with you?" Naruto replied "Yes, Kakashi is getting permission from the Hokage right now." Ino replied "Wait right here." After another 5 minutes, Ino walked out with a backpack. Ino said "Let's go." Ino and Naruto turned and headed out as the sun rose.

"So who else is going?" Ino asked. As it stood, their squad composed of Kakashi, Naruto and Ino; they would need more people for this Op. Naruto replied "Well…we need a tactician and a point man that can handle Sharingan users." Ino then said "I think I know someone." Naruto followed Ino.

They arrived at the home of the green beast of Konoha, Rock Lee. They explained the whole situation to him and he was more than happy to help. He got a pack and then they went to find another recruit.

They decided to get both Shikamaru and Neji. Shikamaru wanted to go especially since he wanted to prove himself after their last mission to save Sasuke. And Neji wanted to go since he was bored.

They met at the main gate out of Konoha. Neji walked to Naruto and said "Any idea where we're going?" Naruto looked in Orochimaru's notebook and said "It says here that most of Madara's activity has been centered around this island…here." Naruto pointed to a large island on a map. Shikamaru "A deserted place like that?" Kakashi said "The perfect place to hide. After all, dozens of Orochimaru's old bases and Akatsuki hideouts are all over the continent."

Ino then said "We don't know what's waiting for us. He could have a lot of opposition waiting." Neji replied "Well we'll deal with it when the time comes." Shikamaru then interjected "Neji is right, we don't know when Madara is gonna put his plan into action so we'll have to kinda run in blind." Kakashi then said "Not very like you, Shikamaru." Shikamaru replied "I know, but it's gotta happen that way." Shikamaru took the notebook from Naruto.

Naruto walked over to Ino who was alone. "Are you okay? You don't have to go with us if you don't want to…" Ino then said "It's not that, it's just…I can't help but feel a little overshadowed by all these Jonin and…Sages…" Naruto put his arm around her and said "Don't think like that, everyone here is a team and if one person breaks, we all break, that's why we need a cute medic to fix us up and keep us going." Naruto tapped her nose and kissed her forehead. Ino then said "You always know how to make me feel better." Naruto replied "I try my best."

Naruto took her hand and brought her over to the group. Naruto then said "Everyone accounted for?" Everyone came to attention. Naruto continued "Kakashi Hatake, Neji Hyuga, Rock Lee, and Ino Yamanaka…" Ino blushed.

Naruto turned around and said "Okay team! GO!" 5 blurs disappeared through the gate.

**Thanks for reading guys…and hehehe girls ;) Remember to rate and subscribe me and I love getting comments. **


	9. Clone

At had been a full six hours since Naruto and his team had left Konoha. It was around 5:30am, the sun was steadily coming up over the horizon. The 5 were tired and decided to take rest and stopped under a large canopy. They laid down some sleeping bags got into them.

It was another 3 hours and everyone had fallen asleep, everyone except Naruto. He was sitting up in a tree watching the birds flutter around the forest. He had had his head against the tree, high up in it. His eyelids felt heavy and was about to close them when he felt someone behind him. He swung around and saw that it was only Ino.

"Hey there honey, something wrong?" Naruto asked. Ino replied "Nah just woke up and decided to bring you this." Ino tossed him a can of orange juice. "Mmm, delicious canned Orange Juice, dee-licious." Ino replied "I know it's shit but it's what we got." Naruto smiled and opened it and sat back down. Ino sat down next to him and laid her head on his shoulder. Naruto then said "Comfortable?" Ino just nodded her head without looking up or opening her eyes. Ino then asked "Why are you up here?" Naruto didn't say anything. Ino then said "It was another nightmare wasn't it?"

Naruto nodded and Ino said "Honey, have you sought some help?" Naruto said "No…" Ino then said "How about any medicine?" Naruto replied "I don't wanna be some druggie that needs some stupid medication." Ino replied "Naruto, you're being really stubborn about this. At least go see someone." Naruto replied "I've never been too keen on shrinks." Ino replied "Well at least try it once, for me?" Ino gave him a smile and kiss. Naruto finally said "Okay then." Ino hugged him.

Ino sat up and looked over the rainforest. "It's really pretty." Naruto was looking right at her and said "Yeah…" Ino looked at him and said "Something the matter?" Naruto replied "No, quite the opposite." Ino half-smiled and kissed his cheek. "I love you." Ino said. Naruto replied "I love you too." Ino then said "What are you thinking about?" Naruto replied "So many things." Ino replied "Anything about me?" Naruto said "A few things."

Ino was curious what was exactly going on through Naruto's head. Ino then started "Naruto, have you thought about the future?" Naruto replied "Well sure." Ino then said "What would you like in your future?" Naruto replied "Well…I want to be Hokage, as you know. And I want…a lot of students that look up to me and want me to teach them. "Ino then waited a minute, unsure whether or not she should say what she was thinking. After hesitation, Ino finally said "Do you think I could be in it?" Naruto replied "In what?" Ino then said "Your future." Naruto was surprised that Ino said that. Naruto then said "What are you saying?" Ino then said "Well…you see…I've kinda been thinking about getting marr-"Ino was interrupted by someone behind them.

"What are you guys doing?" Kakashi asked. Ino and Naruto jumped and both said "Nothing." Kakashi then looked at them both and said "O…kay." Naruto then said "What are _you_ doing?" Kakashi replied "Just finished packing up. We're ready to head out." Naruto then said "Umm…ok…let's get out of here." Naruto, Ino and Kakashi jumped down from the tree.

Neji and Lee were sitting down on tree stumps. Neji said "Can we go now?" Naruto replied "Yeah, let's get out of here." The 5 had taken down a stretch of road. After a lot of running, 2 bus rides, more running and a boat ride, they had finally made it to the coast. Lee said "Wow, it's so cool, I've never been here before…" Lee was blushing at the sight of all the beautiful scantily clad women on the women. Neji was remaining a little more composed but when a very gorgeous red haired woman walked by with her friends and said "Wow, he's really cute, he has pretty eyes…" Neji heard them giggle and he blushed but tried to hide it. Kakashi was checking the ladies out as well but suddenly felt very hot with the face mask on. Ino then asked "Naruto, can we take a break?" Naruto replied "Sure."

Kakashi, Lee, and Neji headed down to the beach. Naruto then turned and said "I gotta see this…" Naruto and Ino walked up the boardwalk and saw the woman in their little bikinis fawning over the big strong ninjas as they put it. The 3 were like rock stars and had all the girls all over them. Naruto then said "Will you look at that…" Ino laughed as Lee was flexing his muscles and showing off his Taijutsu for the ladies. Naruto then said "Wow…" Kakashi was sitting at the bench with some girls asking to see his face. Naruto said "Never knew Kakashi was such a ladies' man." Ino replied "Me neither."

Ino then giggled and said "Oh wow, look at that!" Naruto looked over and saw something priceless, Neji was sitting with some girls and the beautiful red head was sitting in his lap. Naruto said "I didn't think a tight-ass like Neji had it in him." Ino then said "I know, how surprising." Ino pulled out a camera and took a picture of the sight. Naruto then said "What are you doing?" Ino then said "You never know when this will come in handy." Naruto then said "Poor guy has no idea what's in store for him." Ino then said "Nope."

Ino then turned around and leaned against the handrail. Naruto then said "So what were you gonna say earlier?" Ino didn't say anything. Naruto took a step over and put his arms around her. Ino finally cracked and said "You think I'll get married?" Naruto knew he was treading into unknown territory but walked in anyway. "Of course, who wouldn't want to marry you?" Ino replied "I don't know…" Ino sighed and said "Well…my dad has been I should find a husband and get married and have 15 kids since I was 17 years old." Naruto replied "Wow…" Ino then said "Wow what?" Naruto then said "That must be kinda tough on you." Ino replied "Yeah, no shit."

Naruto saw that Ino didn't look too happy. He caressed her cheek and kissed her. "I like those kisses…" Ino said. Naruto then said "How often have you thought about it?" Ino replied "For as long as my dad and my family have pestered me about it. I wish they would leave me alone about, I'll get married when I want to get married and I'll do it with whoever I want too." Naruto hesitated and said "You're so cute when you're mad." Naruto kissed her forehead.

"You always know how to make laugh…" Ino said. Naruto replied "I do my best." Ino then said "You don't have to, I'm always happy to be around you." Naruto replied "I'm happy around you too." After what seemed like a long time passed, Naruto said "So…wanna get married?" Ino was surprised. "You…want to get married…to me?" Naruto said "Yeah, let's do it. I know it has to be a fancy occasion and everything but I just decided to just do it." Ino then said "Are you sure you want this?" Naruto replied "No, but if I can be with you, then I want to do this, I can't imagine being with someone else."

Ino didn't know whether to slap some sense into him or kiss him. Ino said "Ok then, we'll get married." Naruto replied "Ok then." Naruto reached down to kiss her when he heard some people screaming.

Ino looked around and said "What is that?" Naruto replied "I don't know but let's go check!" Naruto and Ino ran down to the beach. They saw numerous people dismembered across the beach. Kakashi, Lee and Neji were fighting a large crab/lizard/snake thing. Naruto ran up to Neji and said "What the hell is this?" Neji replied "I don't know, it just appeared from the sea and started attacking people."

The monster let out a guttural roar and grabbed the red headed girl from earlier with its large pincers. The red headed girl let out a loud yell for help. "No!" Neji yelled and he jumped at the monster. It saw him and shot a powerful jet stream of water at him.

Neji yelled "Rotation!" he then started spinning at high speed, creating a large orb of spinning chakra around creating a full 360 degree shield. The jet of water hit the orb but was spun out by the high speed shield and Neji slammed into the monster, knocking it off balance. "Lee! Now!"

Lee appeared to the side of the monster. Lee yelled "Leaf Hurricane!" and spun and delivered the sonic speed kick to the monsters arm and broke it in half. The girl was falling to the ground but Kakashi had rescued her.

"Wow, good job." Naruto had said. "Now it's my turn!" Naruto continued. He jumped in the air and the monster swung its other arm it him and caught him and slammed him into the sand. After the dust was cleared, everyone saw that Naruto was able to stop the monster's powerful arm. Naruto yelled "Hey guys!"

Neji appeared above the monster. "8 Trigrams 64 palms!" Neji spun out and repeatedly struck the monster in its head. Neji delivered the final strike and the monster was struck back, now dazed. Kakashi and Lee had appeared in front of him. Kakashi struck with Raikiri while Lee used Leaf Hurricane in the monsters torso area. The monster was launched towards the sea, skimming the surface of the water. Naruto appeared behind him and thrust Rasengan into the monster's back. The beast was enveloped by the wind chakra and was killed by the attack. When the steam rising from the water disappeared the monster was laying in the surf, slowly sinking.

They made their way back to the beach. Naruto said "Ok, anyone wanna explain that one?" Neji replied "The monster had appeared out of the water and started killing anyone it could see, including trying to kill us." Kakashi then added in "It certainly wasn't summoned, it didn't explode into smoke when he beat it, that…that thing was real." Lee then said "So that rules out enemy ninja but where did it come from? Is it possible that thing came from the island we're going to?" Neji replied "It's very possible…" Neji pulled out the map they were following. "But this thing sure ventured quite a ways…"

Naruto then said "I wonder what Madara is up to…be it possible he made this thing?" Neji replied "Well Madara is the mad scientist type like Orochimaru." Lee added in 'Gee, I sure hope not…heh…" Ino finally said "In any case, we'll have to deal with these things in greater numbers if Madara is making them." Kakashi then said "Ino's right, but if we get more pushover monsters like this one then we should be okay." Naruto then said "Yeah, hopefully." Neji then said "So, when do we go to this island?" Naruto replied "Right now, we're finishing this thing tonight." Ino replied "He'll be expecting us." Kakashi chimed in "We know Ino." Ino then said while blushing "Oh gee…I didn't mean to be captain obvious." Naruto and Kakashi laughed at her and Neji and Lee chuckled.

Lee then said "Ok, let's get out of here!" Everyone agreed and walked out of the small beachfront store they were resting in. Neji was stopped on his way out by the red headed girl from earlier that day. "Hey guys wait a minute." The girl had pulled him by the hand toward the side of the building. After 5 minutes, Naruto saw her kiss his cheek and give him a slip of paper and then she turn and ran away.

Neji turned and walked toward them, "So what did she want?" asked Lee. Neji replied "She wanted to tell me goodbye and to look her up sometime." Lee then asked "Will you?" Neji looked at the slip of paper and hesitated and then said "Yes…" he hurriedly put the piece of paper in his pocket. Lee then said "I didn't you know you had such a way with the ladies." Kakashi chimed in "Lee, stop teasing the poor kid like that." Naruto and Ino laughed. Neji then said "Yeah yeah, ok, can we go now?" Naruto then said "Sure, Kakashi got a boat waiting for us."

They walked to the end of the pier and piled in the motor boat and sailed towards the island they were looking for.

A long ways ahead, on the island which would soon have 5 unwelcome visitors a evil entity plots.

"So what are you gonna do with it?" asked Sasuke Uchiha.

Madara turned around from the chair he was sitting in and said "What I'm gonna do with it will be a surprise indeed." Sasuke replied "I hate surprises…" Madara replied "Now now, how is your chest?" Sasuke then said "Hmm? Oh my chest…" Sasuke opened his shirt and the wind burn from Naruto's Rasengan was healing nicely, "My burn is doing fine, Madara." Madara then said "That's good to hear then." Sasuke then walked over to Madara's side and looked at what he was doing.

"What is that?" Sasuke asked. Madara replied "This little contraption…" Madara raised some weird little device with the bead from the land of Twisters in the middle. There were also archaic incantations on it. Sasuke was very curious as to what Madara planned to do with it but decided it was better not to upset to most powerful ninja ever.

Sasuke turned away and said "What are you gonna do with those?" Sasuke pointed to 3 very large incubation tanks in the darkness. Madara chuckled and stood from his chair. "Well it's time to see what this thing can do, I think…" Madara walked over to a large panel on the wall. He inserted the device into the large hole in the middle of panel and flipped a switch.

Electricity swirled and reddish black fire appeared around the incubation tanks. "Is that…Ameterasu?" Sasuke asked astonished. Madara replied "Yes Sasuke, this is Ameterasu's purest form." Sasuke then said "What is that thing?" pointing to the device in the wall. Madara it's an ancient artifact said to be held by the original shinobi himself. Sasuke then said "That's an old legend!" Madara replied "It would seem it's not."

Sasuke walked toward the incubation tanks. Madara said from behind him "It's okay, you can touch it." Sasuke reached out and touched the fire. Instantly Sasuke was washed over by an extreme burning sensation all over his body. He felt the flames creeping up from his legs to going slowly up his body. "What is happening to me?" Sasuke yelled. Madara replied "It's the next step in your Uchiha DNA Sasuke, you should be honored." Sasuke replied "What!?" Sasuke groaned and continued "What are you doing to me!?" Madara then said "Just relax, it will be over soon."

Madara turned and walked away. "He is almost ready, his Uchiha DNA is some of purest I've ever seen besides Itachi, Shisui, and myself. Soon Sasuke, soon…" Madara thought to himself. He then walked down a dark staircase.

Back in the chamber where Sasuke was being enveloped by the unknown entity, he could here himself yell for help. Sasuke thought "What is happening to me?!" he had never felt pain like this before. After what seemed like forever, the pain seemingly subsided, he felt like his blood was on fire. Sasuke coughed up and pulled himself up to his feet. Sasuke thought "What the…fuck!" Sasuke walked to a mirror and looked into it. He saw that his Sharingan was activated. There was something different though, his Sharingan had changed radically, instead of the atom shape in his eye, there was an X and a circle around and 4 small dots in the spaces of the x. (The X-men symbol DUH?)

And the areas around Sasuke's eyes were darker like he hadn't slept in a month. He looked at his hands and saw strange symbols on his hands, resembling the symbols on the device with the bead inside of it. "This is crazy…" Sasuke then felt a burning feeling in his eyes and looked away and within a millisecond the whole wall in front of him had been melted to pudding. "This is…amazing…" The power of Ameterasu had been magnified to a point where it had a microwave effect on whatever it touched, totally incinerating it from the inside-out.

"I wonder what else has been changed…" Sasuke said to himself. He walked over and punched a 30 ton concrete pillar. There was a large hole from one side of the pillar to the other. Sasuke's power had been greatly augmented by this device and somehow, Sasuke hungered for more. He walked over to the fire, still mildly burning and shoved his hands in it. After 5 minutes of waiting, Sasuke had given up. He put his hands in the fire and nothing happened. It seemed it was a one-time deal. "What a jip." Sasuke said.

Sasuke walked away and sat down in Madara's chair. He looked at his hands again, the marking wrapping around his fingers, similar to how the curse markings engulfed him years ago."This is incredible." Sasuke said to himself. He heard someone walking and saw that Madara had returned. "Oh, I see you survived…"

Madara was cut short when Sasuke had tackled him into the wall. "Oh dear," Madara said. Sasuke replied 'See, those flames made me so much more powerful…now I think…" Sasuke wrapped his hands around Madara's neck and squeezed with all his might until he felt something crack. Madara fell to the ground. Sasuke then said to himself "Now to see what's under the mask…" Sasuke reached down and pulled up the mask but before he could see what was behind it, he was punched with unbelievable force into the opposite wall.

"What the hell…" Sasuke coughed out as he sat in the hole in the wall. Madara rose up to his feet and adjusted his mask. Madara then said "That certainly was a nice try. You have gotten a lot more powerful indeed but I underwent that transformation many years." Sasuke was surprised.

"What are you?" Sasuke asked shakily. Madara replied "I'm just someone that has had a long time to hone his abilities and gotten some new tricks along the way." Madara said this with an upbeat tone in his voice. Sasuke still got so confused as to who Madara was. Madara walked up to him and said in a serious tone, "I've known for some time that you plan to kill me the first chance you get but I want you to know that I have no weak period and I don't let my guard down, I'm certainly not Orochimaru young man, and please don't make that mistake again."

Sasuke was shocked, Madara knew the whole time. Now he was worried as to what Madara would do to him, he knew Madara was far more powerful. Madara reached for Sasuke, he closed his eyes, and Madara pulled him up to his feet and turned and walked away. "Try to diminish those markings; they get kinda annoying after a few weeks…" Sasuke still was confused as what was going on.

Madara walked through the doorway and turned and was gone. Sasuke stood up and took a breather. "That was…weird…" Sasuke sighed again and looked at his hands. After intense concentration, the markings were finally disappearing into his skin. He walked over to the mirror and his Sharingan was gone. Sasuke wiped his brow and sat back down.

He remembered something. He walked over to the incubation tanks and saw that the mutated Ameterasu had disappeared and now the three tanks were glowing orange. "What is this?" Sasuke wondered. Sasuke touched the tank and the being inside touched the other side of the glass, parallel to his hand. Sasuke jerked his hand back. "The fuck is this?" Curiosity overcame Sasuke and he walked toward the middle tank and looked into the liquid. He saw a light fuse and walked over and charged it. The light above the tank turned on and Sasuke walked back to the tank. He looked inside and saw a humanoid creature inside it. "Hello?" The creature stirred and bumped against the tempered glass.

Sasuke looked closer into the tank; he had to know what it was. Sasuke stuck his face was against the glass. He indentified the face and the thing inside slowly leaned forward until Sasuke saw it. It was a person inside. The thing was right in his face and he saw the eyelids move apart. It opened its eyes and a pair of bright red Sharingan eyes stared him in the face.

Sasuke fell on his ass, he didn't understand what it was, and he didn't care. He felt sick, he ran through the hole in the wall and jumped into the forest and threw up into a tree. Sasuke wiped his mouth off.

"You saw my little side-projects then? I aimed not to show you so soon but I guess you know what happened to the curious cat…" Madara chuckled. Sasuke turned around and fell the ground. Sasuke then said "What are you doing here?" Madara replied "I told you one day that I planned to revive the Uchiha clan." Sasuke replied "And this is your solution? To create these things?" Madara replied "I got to start somewhere…"

Sasuke said after a few minutes, "You disgust me." Madara replied "I know, but you need me around. Could you really survive as the last Uchiha alive? I didn't think so." Sasuke knew Madara was right. He needed him around. He was an Uchiha and someone of amazing use.

Sasuke regained his composure and said "What are you gonna do with those things?" Madara replied "Well since they are now complete thanks to my toy…and to you…" Madara chuckled and Sasuke was puzzled. "What do you mean?" Madara replied "I might've used some of your powers to finish off my side-project." Sasuke replied "What do you mean?"

Madara said "I needed a good model for them so I used you, you're an exemplary ninja and to create 3 Uchiha clones with powers like yours was a good idea to me." Sasuke then said "You could've asked." Madara replied "I know but I'm the bad guy after all…" Madara jumped onto the roof of the building they were in and walked away. Sasuke said to himself "I hate when he does that." Sasuke followed him.

Madara was in a large closet picking up Akatsuki cloaks. Sasuke said "What are you doing?" Madara said "Can't have these things walking around naked." They walked back down to the chamber where the clones were being held. Madara put the clothes on the table and walked over to a large lever in the back of the room. He pulled it and a loud klaxon sounded, soon vents opened up beneath the tanks and sticky orange liquid spilled into the floor. The tanks opened and 3 figures walked out.

Madara said "How are you?" The clones said simultaneously "Fine, Master." Madara replied "Good." Madara gave the clothes to each of them. Madara then said "Now get dressed." They all put on the clothes and Madara said "Now, I have an assignment for you." The tallest clone said "What is it you require?" Madara replied "We have some visitors arriving soon and I need them taken care of, do you understand?"

The tallest clone said "Yes Master Madara, I understand." Madara then said "Hmm…while you're here, I should give you names." The clone of the left said "Names?" Madara replied "Yes, something to differentiate you 3…" Madara walked around a few times and grabbed the tall one. "I think I'll call you Kohaku." The clone now called Kohaku bowed and said "I will honor this name." Madara chuckled and moved him next to Sasuke. He was not comfortable being near this creature that didn't seem to notice him. He took a few steps to the side.

Madara grabbed the next one and said "I'll name you…Natsu." Natsu bowed and said "Thank you Master." Natsu took his place next to Kohaku. Madara grabbed the final clone and said "And you, you're name will be…Yumi." Yumi bowed and walked over to Natsu and Kohaku. Madara stood in front of them and Sasuke walked over to Madara's side.

Madara said "Natsu!" Natsu walked forward and said "Yes, Master Madara?" Madara replied "We're expecting company as you know, I want you to intercept them and kill them…all, and do you understand?" Natsu nodded and said "I understand." Madara nodded and said "Good, go." Natsu disappeared. Madara continued "Kohaku, Yumi." They stood at attention, "Come with me." Madara left the room. Sasuke called to him, "What do I do?" Madara turned and replied "Just hang out Sasuke, your turn to fight will come soon enough…" Madara turned and walked away."

Naruto and company had landed on the beach of the island. Ino walked on the beach "Wow it's beautiful here." Neji replied "Yeah, perfect place for a psychopath to hide." Lee said "So what do we do now?" Naruto opened the notebook from Orochimaru. Naruto said "This says Madara's lab is in the middle of the island." Kakashi replied "Well then, might as well get going." Kakashi walked ahead of them. Lee said "Hey wait for me!" Naruto then said "Why are you guys rushing?" Kakashi looked back and said "Well…I'm excited." Naruto was surprised to hear that from Kakashi. Naruto smiled and laughed and they walked forward. After a few minutes they found a beaten trail. Neji used his Byakugan and said "I sense a faint chakra trail leading that way," Neji pointed in the direction he saw. Kakashi used his Sharingan and said "He's right." Naruto then said "Then that way we go!" Ino said "Yup." They made their way down the road.

Neji stopped them and said "Stop." Lee turned back and said "What's wrong?" Neji yelled "Get down!" A large tree was launched through the forest at Lee; he swung around punched it in half. Kakashi yelled "Show yourself!"

Out of the clearing that was made by the attack Natsu walked in front of them. The clone's face, like all the other clones were disfigured, as if they weren't finished being made. Naruto said "Who are you?" Natsu replied "That is not important; I have come here to kill you." Naruto replied "What!?" Natsu parted his Akatsuki cloak and pulled out a kunai knife.

Neji said "Who is this?" Kakashi was silent. Lee said "What's wrong, Kakashi- Sensei?" Kakashi said "It can't be." Natsu raised his head and opened his eyes and a pair of Sharingan eyes stared at them. They were all surprised. Naruto then said "It can't be…" Natsu dropped the knife and made a combination of hand signs. "Earth Style: Terra Fist Jutsu!" A large rock boulder rose from the ground and swung at them.

Lee ran forward and said "Leaf Hurricane!" Lee struck his leg forward and broke the rock into 1,000 pieces. Kakashi jumped from behind him and swung a punch at him; Natsu parried his fist and kicked him away from him. Neji appeared behind him and tried to strike his chakra points but Natsu was slightly faster and backhanded him away. Ino jumped on his back but Natsu grabbed her hair and swung her around and threw her into a tree. Naruto appeared in front of him and thrust a Rasengan forward, the clone ducked and made a combination of hand signs.

"It can't be!" Naruto thought as Natsu the clone swung up a Chidori uppercut. It hit Naruto and he flipped back. Lee grabbed him and stopped him on the ground. They all regrouped. Naruto said "How does he know Chidori?" Kakashi replied "He must have gotten it from Sasuke, must have copied it with his Sharingan." Neji then said "Well, he can't beat all 5 of us…" Neji walked forward.

Kakashi then said "Get out of here…" Lee said "What do you mean?" Kakashi replied "Think about it, if there is one of these guys, there has to be others. We can't all focus on one, one at a time. We need to find Madara as soon as possible." Ino then said "But Kakashi-Sensei…" Kakashi turned and said "Now how many times have I told you kids that I'm not your sensei anymore?" Lee said "I won't let you do this." Kakashi replied "Then I'll be happy to fight both of you."

Naruto stood silent. Neji said "This is crazy. Kakashi, you can't do this." Naruto stood up. Everyone turned to him. Naruto said "We have to go." Neji replied "You're crazy." Naruto said "We have to leave him, he wants to do this, and I won't stop him." Ino sat silent for a moment but stood up and said "He's right." Neji looked at the 3 of them and said "You're serious?" Kakashi nodded. He then said "Fine, nothing I can do then." Lee wasn't too keen on the idea but he had no choice but to accept it either. Naruto, Ino, Lee, and Neji walked to the side.

Lee turned around and said "Kakashi, you better not lose, Gai-Sensei would be sad to lose his rival." Kakashi gave him a thumb-up and said "Don't worry about me…" Kakashi raised his headband and showed his Sharingan eye. They left him. Natsu motioned to go after him but Kakashi appeared in front of him and slammed him into the ground.

Natsu pulled himself up and said "What are you doing?" Kakashi replied "If you want to get to them, you have to fight me." Natsu said "I'm not interested in you." Kakashi threw a kunai at him and Natsu grabbed it. Kakashi said "I'm your opponent."

Natsu cracked his neck and said "As you wish."

**Okay, that's the end of this chapter, It's a little longer than most of the others so enjoy ;) Please rate, and subscribe and comment, I love those comments :)**


	10. A Beautiful Day

Kakashi pulled out a kunai knife and held it out, "Now fight me." Kakashi thought to himself as he stared down this creature with Sharingan eyes, "I could probably only wound this thing, chances of killing him are very slim." Natsu made a combination of hand signs, "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

Natsu sprayed a barrage of fireballs at Kakashi. Kakashi made some hand signs, "Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu." Kakashi was engulfed by the fireballs. Natsu jumped onto a tree branch.

"It seems he wasn't so strong after all," Natsu said. He jumped to the ground and walked in the direction Naruto and company ran. Natsu was stopped and his leg was grabbed by a hand coming out of the ground. Natsu wasn't fast enough and was pulled into the ground. Only Natsu's head was sticking out of the ground. Kakashi stood in front of the head.

"It seems that you weren't so tough," Kakashi said. Natsu looked up, "Ameterasu." Black flames rose up from the ground and Kakashi jumped back. A large crater was made in the ground and Natsu walked out of it. Natsu pointed at Kakashi and said," The shoe is on the other foot, so to speak." Natsu smiled. Kakashi took a breath.

"It seems Ninjutsu it mostly ineffective against him when he has Ameterasu to protect him," Kakashi thought. Kakashi held out his hand and put the other behind his back. He said "Konoha Taijutsu!" Kakashi disappeared and reappeared behind Natsu and swung a kick, "Leaf Maelstrom!" Natsu ducked the first with a smirk on his face but was then knocked back by numerous unseen blows. Natsu took a few steps back and caught his breathe, "What was that?" Kakashi replied, "Konoha Taijutsu of the shadows…one of the most effective fighting styles." Natsu hesitated for a moment and stood straight up, "Nice hit but I doubt you'll land that attack on me again."

"This isn't shaping up like a wanted it. An attack with that much power behind it could've broken a normal person's spine," Kakashi thought. "I'll need to end this quickly before I run out of tricks!" Kakashi ran at Natsu and punched forward. Natsu sidestepped and struck his hand forward at Kakashi's neck but Kakashi ducked and spun around and tried to land a kick but Natsu caught and spun him upward, Kakashi pulled out a kunai knife and swung it at him mid-swing, Natsu pulled his head back and thrust his palm into Kakashi's side. He was struck with intense pain and jumped back.

"What…what was that?" Kakashi asked. Natsu replied, "Just following your example…" It was then that Kakashi realized that Natsu was replicating all his attacks with his Sharingan.

Natsu stepped forward, "I think it's time to end this…" Natsu closed his right eye, "Ameterasu!" Black fire arose from all around Kakashi and he was barely able to evade the attack. Kakashi hid behind a tree, "I have no defense against Ameterasu, my Sharingan can't summon it," Kakashi thought. He heard splintering and jumped forward as the tree behind him exploded. He evaded, using trees as cover. Natsu had appeared in front of him and targeted Ameterasu on him. It got on Kakashi's vest; he quickly took it and threw it at Natsu. He smacked it down without being harmed by the black fire. Kakashi noticed this.

"Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan…," Kakashi thought. He had no other choice; he had to use his Mangekyou, as risky as it was. He jumped off on one branch and straight into the air. Kakashi created a large hole in the air as the black flames swallowed him. Natsu looked up at the large ball of fire, "I think that will do it." Natsu looked up, "Huh?" A large hole was ripped open like the dimension was being torn. Natsu gaped up as a large thick stream of black fire was being rained down on him. Natsu let out a yell and then silence. Kakashi walked toward the tower of fire. "It seems I lucked out yet again," Kakashi said to himself. The fire blew apart and Natsu rushed at him and grabbed him by the neck and punched him the stomach and threw him, he slammed through a large tree and the next one buckled by the impact but held and Kakashi fell to the ground.

Natsu walked over to him. His Akatsuki jacket was burned apart. His face was singed but still intact and his Sharingan eyes were intact. Natsu approached him, "That was a pretty good idea you had, turning Ameterasu back on me with your Mangekyou. I've never heard of one like yours…I think I'll take it off your hands, Master Madara will be pleased." Natsu reached for Kakashi's head but the Kakashi on the ground blew up into smoke, "What!?" A large dog appeared Natsu and bit him on the shoulder.

Natsu let out a yell of pain and held his ground, a massive hound dog had bitten his shoulder and its fangs were deep in him. Kakashi appeared in front of him. Natsu said, "What is this thing?" Kakashi replied," Konoha ninja hounds, best of their kind." Kakashi made a combination of hand signs, "Summoning Jutsu." More ninja hounds of every breed and size had appeared and dug their fangs in Natsu.

"I will not be killed by some mangy mutts; Master Madara would be so disappointed…" Natsu thought. He looked around; so many dogs were biting him. Natsu was able to move one hand and made one-handed hand signs. Kakashi noticed and jumped forward to stop him, "Summoning Jutsu!" A large crab had appeared and swung its claw at Kakashi, he jumped out of the way and the crab got into a fight with the dogs. Natsu jumped at Kakashi and kicked forward but Kakashi caught it so Natsu swung around really fast, making Kakashi let go and sent him flying toward the beach.

Kakashi had fallen into the ocean. The crab had rushed through the forest and jumped into the water and attacked Kakashi. He saw it and tried to swim away but the crab was faster and it grabbed his leg with its pincer and dragged him down deeper into the water. "I'll drown," Kakashi thought. "I can't…I can't die here…," Kakashi continued. He focused chakra into his hand, "Raikiri!" Kakashi struck Raikiri into the shell of the crab and it exploded into smoke underwater. Kakashi rushed to get to the surface, he barely made it, he was out of breath, he was dizzy and he couldn't see. Kakashi stood on the water and caught his breath.

Natsu appeared out of the water, Kakashi turned around to defend himself but Natsu kicked him in the side and he thrust a palm forward into his chest, then uppercut him into the air and dropkicked him so hard he fell back on shore. Kakashi lay on the shore, motionless.

Natsu walked up to him and summoned a katana. He raised it and struck it down but Kakashi held up his wrist and pushed it up by the metal plate on his wrist on his glove. It was a battle of who could push more, and Natsu was winning. Kakashi closed his eyes and took a breath, "1st Gate Open!" Kakashi opened his eyes and disappeared out from under the sword he reappeared in front of Natsu and punched him in the face with bone crushing force. He ran after him and kicked him into ground, then picked him up by the leg and tossed him up and kicked him in the back so he went flying forward; Kakashi appeared in front of him and kicked him into the air. Kakashi flew parallel to him; he summoned numerous bandages out of his sleeves and wrapped them around Natsu. He turned upside down in the air and spun rapidly and then slammed him with a massive spinning pile driver, "Lotus," Kakashi yelled as he jumped away just before the impact.

"It seems brain activation wasn't such a good idea after all," Kakashi said to himself as he sat down. After passing out for a few minutes, Kakashi regained consciousness and walked over to the crater.

"What?" Kakashi said to himself. Natsu was surrounded by some giant flaming creature. It pulled him from the ground and stood him up. "It can't be," Kakashi started, "You can use Susano'o?" Natsu smirked and the partial Susano'o swung a large blunt flaming club at him. Kakashi jumped backwards, "It's not complete. I understand now, this thing was not complete, it only has partially completed jutsus," Kakashi thought.

He stood his ground and took his gloves off, "This will probably kill me…" Kakashi started, "But I have to do this…" Kakashi raised his arms. "Time to see if paying attention to Gai all these actually meant something," Kakashi said to himself. He started to be surrounded to be surrounded by chakra. "What do you think you're doing?" Natsu asked. The incomplete Susano'o swung its weapon but Kakashi jumped, he made a hand sign, "Hidden Mist Jutsu." The entire area was enshrouded in thick blue mist. Natsu couldn't see anything.

Kakashi stood on the water and concentrated his energy, "3rd gate, Open!" Kakashi was surrounded by blue chakra. Natsu looked around, "What is that chakra I feel?" Natsu's Sharingan was picking up signatures of chakra. "4th gate, open," Kakashi was enshrouded in chakra. Susano'o jumped through the mist and swung at him but Kakashi disappeared at lightning speed. Large walls of water shot up where Kakashi ran; he ran at Susano'o and punched it in the chest. It was knocked backwards, Kakashi then began teleporting all over the place, delivering massively powered strikes. Natsu had soon lost his concentration and Susano'o was dispelled.

Kakashi appeared in front him. Natsu only saw his Sharingan before Kakashi unleashed a barrage of punches and volleys all over the ocean floor. Kakashi punched him into the air, "Double Raikiri!" Kakashi jumped up after Natsu and volleyed him back and forth going upwards with one Raikiri, and then Kakashi hit him straight down with the other with such force that it parted the water beneath them. Natsu lay motionless in the crater.

Kakashi landed on the beach. The effect of the 4th gate had ceased and soon Kakashi collapsed. The water slowly filled up the water and Natsu was engulfed by it. Some time passed and Kakashi opened his eyes. Kakashi groaned in pain, every muscle in his body was on fire and felt like they were hanging off his bones. After coughing up blood and losing all sensation in most of his body, he forced himself up.

"I think I did it," Kakashi said to himself. He coughed up blood again, he opened his mask and drained it, and he then hobbled around and walked away. He felt something behind him and turned around, "Fuck."

Natsu was standing before him, with his body visibly pounded into mush. He raised his hand and threw a kunai knife, Kakashi dropped to the floor, which caused great pain. He threw one back and it hit Natsu's side. Natsu fell back but opened his left eye, "Ameterasu!" Kakashi opened his Sharingan eye, "Trigon!"

A large dimensional hole opened up front of him and vacuumed the black fire, it slowly sucked in Natsu, he was yelling for Madara to help but nobody came and Natsu was sucked into vortex. Kakashi grabbed his eye and screamed bloody murder. He was in total anguish. He was bleeding from his eye. Kakashi screamed into the air again. He fell to the ground. He covered his eye with the last of his strength.

"Naruto, the others…the rest is up to you now…"

Kakashi chuckled and he looked into the sky while lying on his back, "It's a beautiful day…" Kakashi looked into the sky until all he saw was black.

**Thanks for reading guys! You know the deal, rate, comment, and subscribe, remember to send this to your friends so I can get some exposure. Shout out to Machi-Tan for being a fan ;)**


	11. Bad Odds

"Did you hear that?" asked Neji. "Heard what?" Lee replied. Neji continued, "You didn't hear that loud explosion? It came from where we left Kakashi." Ino then said "I hope he's alright. I still don't think it was the smartest decision to leave him there." Naruto added in, "I know what we had no other choice. He was willing to put himself on the line so we could continue and stop Madara. We can't let his sacrifice be in vain." Neji then said, "You make it sound like he's already dead." Naruto replied "I hope not, I'm trying not to worry about it. Kakashi is a tough guy, I'm sure he took care of that guy and is on his way behind us." Lee looked and Neji and he looked back, he had a worried look on his face.

Lee ran near Neji and asked, "What does your Byakugan see?" Neji replied, "It's not good." Lee said, "Do the others know?" Neji nodded. "We should go back," Lee said. Neji was quiet. Lee then said, "Neji, what's wrong?" Neji fell from the tree branch he stepped on and fell several stories the ground. "Neji!" Lee fell after and was able to break his fall.

Lee turned him over and saw that a paralyzing seal had been placed on his back. Lee peeled it off and threw it to the ground, it burned into ash. Lee looked around, "Who did this?" Naruto and Ino took notice and jumped to them. "What's going on?" Ino asked. Lee replied, "This is what's going on…" Lee pointed to ashy paralyzing seal. Naruto picked up but it turned into dust shortly afterwards.

"We're not alone here," Ino said. Neji got up and scanned the area with his Byakugan. He sensed 2 very large signatures of chakra in the area but could not pinpoint them. Ino asked, "Where are they?" Neji looked past and yelled, "Watch out!" Neji tackled Ino down as a large, sharp spear flew over them and impaled the tree in its path.

They quickly got into a battle formation, protected from all sides. "Where are they Neji?" Neji nodded, "I They're moving so fast, and I can barely keep up with them." Naruto then said, "So how do we fight them?" Lee interjected, "Follow me!"

Lee took up off running at top speed, leaving a cloud behind him. Naruto, Neji, and Ino had to really push themselves to keep up. Lee jumped and flipped and twisted through the trees until he was hit by the light of the sun. They had gotten out of the dark forest and were in a large grassy plain with a large oasis and numerous trees scattered everywhere, right in the middle of the forest. Lee yelled, "Move!" and the 3 jumped apart right when Lee threw a large boulder into the trees. A loud cracking sound and then a thud followed.

"Show yourself!" Neji yelled.

"As you wish," A voice replied. 2 shadows were visible in the trees. They grew closer, more visible. Soon they were in plain sight. Ino gasped, "There's more of you?" Kohaku and Yumi stood before them. Their Sharingan eyes were as visible as Natsu's. Naruto then said "What are you doing here!? What do you want!?" Yumi walked forward and held out his arm, "What we want are your lives, as desired by Master Madara." Lee then said "These things…whatever Madara has made out of them, they've been completely brainwashed." Neji replied "No shit."

Naruto then opened a pocket on his vest and pulled out a scroll, "I don't have time to deal with fodder like you!" A large shuriken appeared from the scroll and Naruto threw it at them. Yumi and Kohaku dodged them and split up. Naruto appeared behind Yumi, his eyes had turned red and his pupils were slit, he punched him into the ground. "Giant Fireball Jutsu," Kohaku spat a large red and orange fireball at Naruto, he punched right into it and exploded. The smoke cleared and Naruto stood, "Is that all you have!?" Yumi appeared him, "Chidori Needles!"

Naruto was struck in the back by numerous white needles of electricity. Naruto fell to his knee and Kohaku and Yumi converged on him from both sides. Naruto saw them but his reaction time was slowed down from the needles affecting his nervous system. Naruto closed his eyes and then heard 2 loud whipping sounds.

Neji and Lee stood at both sides of him, Naruto's eyes had returned to their normal blue. "What are you doing?" Naruto asked. Neji then said "We've decided something." Naruto replied "You have?" Lee interjected, "Yes, Naruto, we've decided to be a distraction. We figure is Kakashi was man enough to do it, we can too!" Lee smiled.

Ino helped Naruto up to his feet. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Neji replied "We'll be fine; it's 2 on 2, even odds." Naruto chuckled and said "Can't argue with that logic." Lee then said "Now get out of here before they attack." Naruto then said "Watch out for that Sharingan, oh and that Ameterasu…oh and that-"Neji interrupted him, "Naruto, get out of here." Naruto shut up and smiled shyly, "Ino, let's get of here."

Naruto and Ino disappeared in a flash. Kohaku then said "You have made a very foolish decision, maybe if the 4 of you had stayed together, you could've survived but now you have no chance." Yumi added in, "Just surrender and resign yourself to death." Lee then said "I am so tired of you whack jobs and psychos telling to give up, I will never give up, especially if it is to save my friends." Neji added in "That goes double for me." Kohaku replied "As you wish."

Neji and Lee stood back to back. "You got any new attacks to show off?" Neji asked. Lee replied "I have a few tricks." Neji then said "Good, we'll need everything we can throw at them if we want to live." Lee started writhing around, "What are you doing?" Lee replied "I'm so happy I get to fight such a strong opponent." Neji sighed.

Yumi pointed at Neji. Neji said "It's not nice to point." Yumi replied "You, you're a user of the Byakugan." Neji then said "Nice job genius, want a medal?" Yumi chuckled, "If you're offering. I think Madara will be pleased if I brought him a pair of…fresh Byakugan eyes." Neji cringed, "'Fresh Byakugan eyes' excuse me?" Yumi smiled and motioned for Neji to come at him. Neji walked forward to oblige but Lee grabbed his collar and threw him and Kohaku, "TAG!"

Lee ran at Yumi and dropped down, "Leaf whirlwind!" Lee swept his leg with such force; it scalped the emerald green grass below them. Yumi jumped up and dodged but Lee brought up a knee and Yumi stopped it, Lee gasped as Yumi spun him and threw him.

"What a glory hog," Neji thought as he flew toward Kohaku. He spun in mid-air and mule kicked Kohaku in the chest. Kohaku was knocked back, Neji landed facing away from him and he jumped backwards and reached at his with his fingers extended. Kohaku caught his wrists and he fell back onto his back and catapulted Neji over him. Neji landed on the side of a tree and threw numerous kunai.

Kohaku reached out his hands and they stopped in mid-air. "What?" Neji said to himself. The knives turned in the opposite direction and flew right back at Neji; he jumped off the tree and spun around, "Rotation!" The 360 degree spinning orb deflected the knives and Neji jumped out of it in Kohaku's face. "8 Circles 64 Palms." Neji spun around and struck him in his chakra points with 2 hands, "2 Palms, 4 Palms, 8 Palms, 16 Palms, 32 Palms, 64 Palms!" Neji finished the strike with a powerful palm thrust. Kohaku was launched through a tree.

"Hyah," Yumi threw punches at Lee but he was able to weave in and out of them, delivering blows of his own. Yumi swept at his legs but Lee hopped up and brought his leg down but Yumi jumped back, "Water Shockwave!" Water surrounded Yumi and it rushed in torrents at Lee, "Shit!" Lee turn and ran away but was surrounded by the water closing in on him. He was submerged in the water.

Lee was searching in the cloudy blue water for his opponent but had very little visibility. He saw bubbles in the distance and was tackled by Yumi, who had jetted at him with blinding speed. Lee spit out in the blue water, making is murky and red. Yumi was passing back and forth, hitting him as he passed.

"I can't…I'll drown in here or be beaten to death," Lee thought. Lee raised his fists, "Concentrate…remember what Gai-Sensei said." Lee felt a rush of energy in his hands as Yumi came for another pass and Lee met him with a powered up fist, "Tree crusher!" Yumi was knocked out of water and straight into the air. Lee met him and kicked him sideways so he landed head-first into the sandbar. Lee walked up to the shore and looked at Yumi, head-first twisted into the sand and motionless.

Lee caught his breath and remembered Neji. He ran through the forest and found Neji sitting on a fallen tree. "Where is the other one?" asked Lee. Neji replied, "I got 'em." Lee stood puzzled, "I don't understand the last one was much more powerful than these two." Neji stood and said, "So? You don't hear me complaining." Lee stepped back and said, "Still, it was way too easy, at least Sharingan users would have posed more of a challenge." Neji smirked and said, "You sound disappointed." Lee blushed and looked away.

Right then a ray of light shot through the forest and passed Lee and hit Neji. He let out a loud scream and was smashed so hard into a tree there was an indentation of him in it. Lee gasped, "What the-!?" Lee turned around and saw Kohaku, he punched him in the face with blinding speed and picked him up by the neck and choke slammed him into the ground. Lee spat out some blood and yelled in pain. Yumi stood over him now and he stomped his chest. Lee was gasping for air. "Now die," Yumi told Lee.

Lee could feel darkness coming over him; it was a matter of time before…

"8 Trigrams: Mountain Palm!"

Neji appeared above Yumi and struck him into the ground with his amazing palm thrust, he then spun around and swiped his kunai at Kohaku but he jumped back. Neji helped Lee get up, "are you okay?" Lee coughed and said, "Yeah, I'll be fine." Neji turned to Yumi and Lee to Yumi. Neji and Lee stood back to back, staring them down. "How are we going to fight them?" Neji replied, "We're gonna beat the fuck out of them." Lee smirked and said "Sounds like a plan." Neji then said, "They're not playing anymore, they're out for blood." Lee replied, "Yup, look likes the kid gloves are coming off."

Yumi threw some kunai at Lee, knocked them down with one of own. Before the last kunai fell, Yumi was right in Lee's face. Yumi punched at Lee's head but Lee ducked out its way and swerved to the side and kicked to the side of Yumi, he jumped back and spun around and kicked forward. Lee jumped up and Neji lurched forward struck at his chakra points. Yumi growled in pain and uppercut forward connected with Neji's chin. Lee brought his leg down like an ax on the back of Yumi's head. Yumi went down to the ground.

Kohaku appeared out of nowhere and kicked Lee out of the air. Yumi brought himself back up and grabbed Lee's leg and slammed him into the ground, Neji grappled him from behind and put him in a full Nelson. "Lee!" Lee hurried himself up and flipped forward and spun his legs like a B boy; kicking Kohaku out of the way. Lee flipped himself up and punched with both hands into Yumi's chest. Neji flipped him up and hit him repeatedly in the back and threw him over his head, Neji jumped forward struck Kohaku in numerous chakra points.

Kohaku threw himself up and head butted Neji in the face, Neji fell back and Kohaku grabbed him by the neck and kneed him in the stomach. Kohaku threw him forward and dodged the kick Lee swung from behind and elbowed him in side. Yumi burst from the ground and grabbed Lee and slammed him in the ground. Neji threw a kunai but Yumi pushed Kohaku over and dodged them. Yumi ran forward and tossed some punches at him; Neji dodged all of them and tried to strike a chakra point.

Yumi kneed him in the chin and grabbed his shirt and swung him and threw him, ripping his shirt. Neji slammed into the ground and tried to get on his feet. Kohaku appeared to the side of him and kicked him in the side. Lee appeared behind him and kicked him in the side of the head. Kohaku fell to the side as Yumi appeared behind Lee.

Lee was stabbed in the back by a katana, "Gah!" Lee fell to the ground. "No!" Neji jumped up trapped him Kohaku in his Rotation. Yumi was knocked back and off-balance. Neji wrapped razor wire around him. "8 Trigrams: 256 Palms!" Neji struck 256 of his chakra points in such blinding speed it seemed like a machine gun of pinpoint strikes. Yumi gasped and coughed up blood and fell back. Neji pulled out 2 kunai knives and dug them into his chest and kicked him through a tree.

Neji turned around and held Lee up, "Lee, can you hear me?" Neji pulled out the sword from his back. Neji pulled him to his feet, "Don't worry about me, it'll take a lot more than this to put me down." Lee gave him a thumb up. "Are you sure?" Neji asked. Lee replied, "Yeah, I'll be fine, just watch my back and what goes in it…" Lee chuckled but then winced in pain. "I think it's time for a tactical retreat." Lee replied, "No, we can't we have to…" Neji then said "Lee, we're not running away, just getting a change of scenery." Lee nodded and Neji hobbled him away from the battle area.

"I think we can catch a breather here…" Lee said. They were in a clearing. Neji walked over to a small pond with clear blue water and cupped some in his hand and drank it. "Neji…" Lee called to him. "What is it?" Neji replied, he stood up and turned around. Yumi and Kohaku stood before them.

"Didn't think you'd see us again huh?" Yumi said. "You can't win, just give up, look at you, can barely stand." Neji threw a kunai knife at Kohaku; he caught in his hand, "Just because we can barely stand doesn't mean we can't lift our legs high enough to kick your asses." Lee took place beside him. Yumi then said, "Must we really go through this process?"

Kohaku closed his right eye, "Ameterasu." Black flames appeared and Neji pushed Lee out of the way of the flames. "Watch out for those flames!" Neji yelled as the black fire made a wall between them. Yumi appeared behind Lee and put him in a grapple hold. "Now I got you." Lee couldn't wrestle out of the grapple hold because of his wound. Neji saw through the fire with his Byakugan and ran toward the wall, "Mountain Palm!" A large hole was blown into the wall and Neji jumped through and punched Yumi in the face.

Yumi relinquished his hold on Lee and fell back. Kohaku appeared behind him, "Ameterasu!" Neji saw him behind him, "Rotation!" Neji surrounded him in his chakra, the black fire spun around him, creating a large black fireball. Neji stopped spinning and whipped the black fire in Yumi's face. Yumi screamed in intense pain as his face was being cooked. Neji fell to the ground from exhaustion; Kohaku ran at him and kicked him in the face with such force he flew into an old deserted cottage. Kohaku kept running and rescued Yumi from Ameterasu using his Sharingan to absorb the fire back into his eye, the fire going into his eye damaged his eye and Kohaku could no longer open it.

Lee was able to pick himself up, "Seems you can't use that trick anymore." Lee laughed at him. Kohaku scowled and walked over him and back handed him to the ground. Yumi had risen from the ground his face was badly burnt. He walked over to Lee, "Hey there Freddy Krueger." Yumi smirked and grabbed him by the neck. Kohaku stood next to him and watched.

"I'll kill you first!" Yumi said. He pulled out another katana and aimed at his neck, "Now die!" Yumi had pushed forward but in a split-second; Neji had appeared between them and struck them both in the neck with Mountain Palm. Kohaku and Yumi and went flying in opposite directions and hit the ground rolling. Lee fell to his knees. Neji was able to grab him and put his arm around his shoulders. "Nice timing." Neji replied, "I try my best." Lee grinned and said "Did you kill them?" Neji replied, "No chance, I don't have enough chakra left for any decisive hits." Lee looked to the ground and said, "I know what I have to do."

Neji looked blankly and said, "What do you mean?" Lee walked forward and starting unraveling the wrapping around his arms. Neji then said, "You can't, Lee!" Lee just looked forward, "I have to, and this will finish it. I have to activate before they come back." Neji replied and said "There's another way, there has to be." Lee then said, "Neji, I'd appreciate if you didn't fight me on this." Neji was silent, he then nodded. Lee crossed his arms and concentrated his chakra. It began to swirl around him.

Yumi and Kohaku had risen to their feet. They walked together toward Neji and Lee. "Don't mean to rush you, but could you hurry up?" Lee replied, "This isn't exactly something I can do in 10 seconds!" Neji groaned, "Fine, I'll buy you some time." Neji threw forward some smoke bombs to blind them but their Sharingan saw their chakra through the smoke. Yumi and Kohaku burst through the smoke on either side of Neji and elbowed both sides of him. Neji yelled and tried to strike back but Yumi grabbed his neck and threw him into the air. Kohaku grabbed his foot and slammed him hard into the ground.

Lee saw this, "I can't let this continue, I have to finish this battle now!" He thought, "3rd gate open!" Chakra was rushing from his body and surrounding him. Yumi and Kohaku took notice and turned their attention to him. Lee poised himself and rushed at lightning speed, destroying the ground with every step. Yumi dodged the first strike but Lee spun around and punched Kohaku with shattering speed.

Lee followed Kohaku and kicked him straight into air; he then vanished and appeared behind Yumi, Lee uppercut him into the air. Lee volleyed them both in the air with blinding speed and strength. "4th gate open!" Lee's chakra output increased and he started hitting them harder and volleying them faster, smashing them into the ground, trees, rocks, anything blunt along the way. Lee kicked Kohaku into the ground, he hit so hard he bounced. Lee appeared next to him and kicked him, sending him skimming across the ground. Lee hit Yumi towards him and they smashed into each other.

They both let out yelps of pain but Lee kept pounding them. Lee appeared between them and kicked them both into the air, one leg each. "5th gate open!" Lee appeared above them and wrapped the rope-like bandages around them until they were mummies. Lee pulled them towards him, "Double Omote Renge!" Lee delivered 2 unbelievable blows into both of them and they plummeted into the ground. Only 2 massive craters, side by side were left.

Lee landed some ways away from them and fell to the ground. He laid face down in the dirt, trying to keep his eyes open. "I did it…Neji…I did it." Lee coughed. He heard rustling of grass and footsteps and tensed up, anticipating that Yumi or Kohaku were alive.

"It seems you overdid it, huh?" Neji knelt down next to Lee. "Yeah, I think I finished pretty cool though, huh?" Neji chuckled and said, "Most definitely." Lee chuckled as Neji attempted to pick him up. Lee had his arm slung his arm over Neji's shoulder and Neji held him up, "It seems both of us are a little worse for wear…" Neji replied, "Fuck yeah."

"We should see about helping Naruto and Ino," Lee said. Neji replied, "I don't know if we'll be any help to them in our condition." Lee replied, "Worth a try." Neji then said, "Might as well…" Neji turned Lee around and attempted to walk forward when they heard an extremely loud noise. Neji yelled, "What the fuck is that?" Lee replied "I have no idea!" The loud noise was accompanied by what sounded like a lion's roar. Neji then said, "Okay, I don't like that." Lee coughed and said, "We should get going." Neji walked forward with Lee holding on to him. They didn't see the shadow overreaching them.

Lee yelled, "Look out!" and pushed Neji down to the ground, "What was that?" Lee looked back, "Don't tell me…" Neji stood up and looked behind him at the 2 shadows. Kohaku and Yumi stood before them, but they looked savagely beaten. Large abrasions and contusions adorned them, their Akatsuki visibly _beaten _to shreds. There was something coming out of their skin. Dark red and orange fire was seeping out of their skin. Neji gawked and said "What is that?" Lee replied, "I don't know…"

The fire surrounded them and created what looked like a spinal cage around their bodies.

"It seems Susano'o saved us…," Mused Kohaku. Yumi replied "I guess so. If we had gotten that final attack, we'd be dead for sure, still hurt like a-"Yumi coughed up and spit out blood. Kohaku held him up straight. "Don't worry, they're weak now, this won't take long at all," said Kohaku.

Neji walked backwards, "Lee, we have to get out of-"Yumi had appeared behind him. "I'll start with you." Neji was frozen, he could not move. Yumi lashed forward and a large column of fire hit him a battering ram and fell to the ground. Kohaku appeared above Lee, "And you…" Kohaku started stomping on Lee repeatedly. Neji heard Lee's loud screams of pain. He tried to get up but could do nothing. After giving a sound beating to both Neji and Lee who were totally immobilized, Yumi called to Kohaku, "Hey, I think it's time we finished this, yeah?" Kohaku replied, "Yes, this is getting sufficiently boring now."

Kohaku and Yumi both pulled out a katana, which were both covered in the spinal fire. They held them over Lee and Neji, "Thanks for the fun times," said Kohaku. Kohaku raised his sword and brought it down.

A loud smacking sound filled the air, "Gah!" Kohaku yelled as he was struck with amazing force. Yumi yelled, "Kohaku!" Yumi was smacked into the ground from behind. Neji regained consciousness, "What…?"

Someone knelt down in front of Neji, "It seems we got here just in time, huh?" Lee looked up and said "Not a moment too soon." Kiba helped him to his feet. Lee said, "How did you know we were here?" Kiba replied, "Shino had stuck you all one of his little creepy crawlies." Lee looked over and saw Shino helping Neji up. Lee then said, "Who else is with you?" Kiba replied, "It's me, Shino, and that big showoff." Lee replied, "Big showoff?"

Lee looked forward and saw the person standing in front of him, "Figures you'd save me again." Gaara replied, "You sure know how to get into the trouble don't you?" Gaara smirked. Neji walked over with Shino behind him, "What are you doing here? This is a Konoha mission." Gaara looked over and replied, "I requested to lead this squad when your Hokage asked to visit the village for some lame council meeting, I'd rather be fighting these guys then listening to a bunch of old fools babble for 6 hours." Neji shrugged and said, "I'd feel the same way." Lee then said, "Where are those clones?"

The ground beneath them broke apart, large arms of fire had erupted and grasped at the 5, they had all scattered, evading the arm. "Wow, ain't that something." Kiba said. Gaara replied, "Lee, Neji, can you tell me anything about these guys?" Neji replied, "These are cloned Uchiha clan members, they both have Mangekyou Sharingan as well." Shino answered, "Just like Sasuke." Lee nodded, "Just like Sasuke."

Kiba, Shino, and Gaara walked forward. Kiba said, "2 on 3, the odds are in our favor." Yumi then said, "I don't think so, we have Susano'o protecting us, it's even." Kiba grunted since he didn't know much about Susano'o. Shino then said, "Keep them occupied for me." Kiba then said, "What the hell for?" Shino was covered in thousands of beetles and spiders, the mass of bugs burst open and Shino was gone. Kiba then said, "I hate how he does that." Gaara interrupted, "Kiba!"

Two very large blunt clubs of Susano'o swung down on them; Gaara protected himself and Kiba with a giant shield of sand. Kohaku was surprised and said," Never seen sand jutsu before." Gaara replied, "Take a good look." Sand poured from the gourd on his back. Gaara said, "Desert Tsunami." The ground beneath them exploded and the dirt turned into sand and totally washed over the area they were in. Yumi and Kohaku were able to dodge the wave of sand and they both landed in a dune. Kiba, Shino, and the others had been protected by Gaara's manipulating sand to wash over around them in a circle.

Yumi said, "That's a nice trick but that's not gonna get you-"He looked at Kohaku, he was being swallowed by the sand. Kohaku was raised into the air, "Sand Burial." Gaara closed his hand and the sand compressed instantly. Yumi yelled, "NO!" Yumi was too late to do anything. Out from the bottom of the tightened ball of sand dripped blood. Yumi then said to himself, "You didn't…Kohaku…" He looked at the ball of sand and said, "Ameterasu!"

Black flames enveloped the ball and soon the sand had melted away. Kohaku crushed body fell to the ground and Yumi ran to it. Kohaku was barely breathing, "Yumi…you know what to do." Yumi nodded as Kohaku died.

Kiba walked over to Gaara, "What is he doing?" Gaara replied, "Nothing good."

Yumi reached to Kohaku's face and caressed his cheek, "Thank you Kohaku." Gaara heard 2 squishing sounds followed in seconds by another 4 squishing sounds. "What the hell?" Kiba said. Yumi stood up, and turned around. He had plucked the eyes out of Kohaku's head and put them in his head. He then outstretched his arms and both of his original Sharingan eyes were implanted into his palms. The eyes in palm had now become more sinister looking.

Kiba stepped back, "What the FUCKING FUCK!?"

Yumi then said, "I'll make all you pay." Yumi outstretched his hands. The flames of Susano'o had engulfed him, taking a more definite shape, "Now that Kohaku's half of Susano'o is mine, I will show you…our full power." Susano'o was now in much more definite shape, not near as complete as Sasuke's but there was a face and it had grown a sword in its hand and a misshapen shield. Yumi stretched out his arms, "Go! Susano'o!"

Susano'o rushed forward and swung his large sword at Gaara and company, thanks to Gaara making a shield of sand; it bought them enough time to dodge the attack with 2 heavily injured ninjas in tow. Gaara yelled to Kiba, "Where is Shino?" Kiba replied while throwing some paper bombs, "I don't know!"

Kiba jumped above the shield, "Akamaru!" Kiba's large ninja hound emerged from a puff of smoke and Kiba jumped on his back, "Fang over Fang!" Kiba and Akamaru started spinning very fast into 2 tornadoes. They writhed around Susano'o, smashing into it trying to get to Yumi, who was sheltered in its transparent stomach. Yumi laughed and said, "You guys have no chance!"

Gaara walked up to Susano'o, "Desert Burial!" Gaara knelt down and touched the sand under him; large hands of sand emerged from the sand and enveloped Susano'o. "What?" asked Yumi to no one in particular. Susano'o was pulled down under into the sand and then the ground shook for a moment and buckled when it tightened into rock because of the force. Kiba appeared behind Gaara, "It it over?" Gaara replied…"I don't think so."

The rock plateau they were standing on had exploded with black fire and Yumi had appeared from the rock, "Did you think a little squeeze was gonna take me down?" Yumi walked forward with Susano'o still wrapped around his body. Yumi outstretched his arms and both Sharingan eyes opened, and the eyes in his head opened fully. Yumi had a sadistic grin on his face. Gaara and Kiba were puzzled. "What is he-?" Kiba was grabbed through the rock by a large arm of fire; Gaara tried to flee but was grabbed by his large gourd and held in place as well.

Yumi finally said, "Now…give me your chakra!" The arms that were constricting them were the arms of Susano'o and they could literally feel their life force and chakra being sucked out of them by it. Kiba yelled out, "We have to get out of here!" Gaara winced back and said, "I'm…trying." Gaara willed some sand grains under him to move. They slowly moved with the wind toward Yumi and were blown into the eyes on his hands. Yumi yelled out a yelp of pain as he tried to relieve his extra set of eyes of the sand. He was yelling, "What did you do to me?" Yumi was frantically trying to get the sand out of his eyes.

Gaara pointed to Yumi, "Sand Spear." A large mass of sand hovered in front of him and zoomed forward with great accuracy. Because of the sand in the eyes on his hand, Yumi could not will Susano'o to protect him and the spear zoomed through a hole in Susano'o and impaled Yumi through his right side. Yumi fell to the ground with a thud and Susano'o vanished instantly. Gaara and Kiba walked over to Yumi, who was lying on the ground. Gaara spoke, "What do you have to say for yourself?" Yumi smirked and said, "This: Ameterasu!"

Yumi concentrated his left eye but nothing came out, he could feel Ameterasu. Yumi said to himself, "What!?" Yumi was desperately trying to summon Ameterasu but it would not come. "Why won't Ameterasu come to me?" Yumi asked. "Because I've destroyed your Sharingan," Gaara looked and saw that Shino had said that. Gaara then said, "What do you mean?" Shino pointed at Yumi's head and Gaara and Kiba looked down with disgust. There were earwigs coming out of both ears.

"I had them absorbing your chakra and slowly eating your Sharingan." Yumi replied, "That's why Susano'o stopped obeying me completely…" Shino nodded. He walked to Yumi, "And now, it's time to finish this." Yumi nodded, "I guess so…" Shino held out his hand and millions of large bugs come out of sleeve. They totally enveloped Yumi, he reached out for help but they turned away. After several minutes, the only thing that was left was a white skeleton. Kiba then said, "That gets more disgusting every time I see it." Shino replied, "It's what I do, Kiba." Kiba replied, "Doesn't mean I like it…" Gaara held up his hands, "Enough arguing you two." Gaara turned and walked toward Lee and Neji. Kiba picked Lee and Shino held up Neji.

"We have to find out where that big explosion came from." Lee said. Gaara nodded and said, "Follow me."

After about 15 minutes of nonstop travel, they heard more explosions and the sounds of screaming permeated the forested area. Neji then said, "I don't like the sounds of that." Gaara said, "Ne neither." They started to move faster until they broke through the forest and found dozens of large craters and destroyed stone buildings. They walked closer to the edge of a large ravine and looked down. It was totally destroyed with large walls blown apart and black fire lingering off of anything it could get. "This is Ameterasu…" Neji said.

They heard more explosions and ran over the ravine to the very edge of the island. It was a large U shaped beach and down it they saw it. It was a large 10-story tall red and black creature screaming and roaring, permeating the area with foul chakra. They saw the horrid monster with its long fox ears and 8 tails protruding from its hind end. Then they saw him, they saw Madara Uchiha, totally revived with both Sharingan eyes on his head with a sick smile on face as he faced down this creature.

Kiba looked away and saw it. Kiba pointed with shock, "Lo…look…." Kiba pointed far away. Gaara and the others gasped and saw, Ino, laying face-down dead in the mud and grass.

**There's the chapter everyone, I hope you enjoyed. Quick note, I looked and saw that anonymous reviews were turned off, so I turned them on. Please review and subscribe and spread this story to your friends. ;)**


	12. The Ultimate Sage

**20 MINUTES AGO**

"We're almost there," said Ino. Naruto nodded. Ino looked over to Naruto as they walked up a dirt path, "What are you thinking about?" Naruto turned and said, "Oh nothing honey pie." Ino scowled and said, "You're thinking about Sasuke." Naruto looked away. Ino stopped him and grabbed his arm, "Naruto…" Naruto couldn't look her in the eye. Ino caressed his cheek, "You're gonna kill him." Naruto replied, "I have to." Ino nodded and said, "Whether you do or don't, either choice is the right thing." Naruto thought to him, "Either is the right choice…"

Naruto was thinking to himself until Ino interrupted him with a kiss on his cheek. "Come on." Naruto smiled and pulled Naruto along the way. They had walked up to a hill and looked down. They saw a small building in the middle of the ravine. It looked like a regular cottage but it had a sinister full about it. Naruto and Ino made their way down. Naruto said, "Ino." Ino turned to him, "If anything goes wrong, I want to you to run." Ino stopped and said, "Naruto…you-"Naruto stopped her and said, "Please don't argue with me over this." Ino hushed and looked in his eyes. They had an unfamiliar fire in them.

Ino smiled and said, "Ok, if anything happens, I'll run." Naruto smiled and said, "Thank you." Ino grinned and they walked toward the building. Naruto halted Ino. Ino said, "Naruto, what is it?" Naruto didn't answer; instead he nodded toward the door of the small cottage. The door shook and opened with a screech.

Naruto said, "So, you decided to fight me in person." Sasuke replied, "Yes, I did." Naruto walked in front of Ino, "Where is Madara?" Sasuke drew his Chokuto. Naruto said, "Ino, go." Ino nodded and turned and ran, "Where are you going? Don't you wanna see this?" Sasuke called to Ino. Naruto said, "Don't you say anything to her." Sasuke tilted his head, "Hmm, Naruto, it seems your all business, that's good to see. I don't wanna waste my time with some bitch." Naruto smirked and said, "Excuse me, but who got their ass beat last time we fought?' Sasuke grimaced and said, "That was a draw, you fool. Besides, these days I feel a lot stronger, I have a good feeling about this." Naruto held a kunai knife in his hand, "I have a feeling…that I'll kill you and sleep like a baby tonight." Sasuke smiled and said, "This isn't like you." Naruto retorted, "I know."

Naruto threw a kunai knife, Sasuke deflected it with his sword, and the knife flew into the air with a clang. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a paper bomb attached to the knife and it exploded in his face. Sasuke jumped back and Naruto jumped through the smoke. Naruto swung his leg on his Sasuke's shoulder, Sasuke wrapped his arm around his leg and swung him over and threw him. Naruto flipped off his hand and threw a smoke bomb down. Smoke bombs exploded all around Sasuke so he was in a total smokescreen. Sasuke smirked, "Sharingan."

Sasuke activated his "X" shaped Sharingan and looked around. He saw it, he saw different chakra signatures skipping around him, and "I see you." Sasuke made some hand signs, "Chidori." The blade of lightning materialized in his hand. Sasuke held it out for a few seconds, and then he swung around and thrust it into Naruto's chest. Ino screamed Naruto's name. Sasuke smirked at Ino and turned his head to Naruto, who was hanging off his hand. Naruto was stunned.

Naruto grabbed Sasuke's hand and wrapped his legs around his arm and put him in an arm bar. Sasuke yelped as Naruto was breaking his arm. Sasuke created hand signs with one hand and sprayed Chidori needles in Naruto's face. Naruto released his grasp and Sasuke jumped up and kicked Naruto in side and picked him up by the neck and threw him into the cottage wall. He slammed into the bunker-like cottage's stone wall and cracked it. Naruto looked at Sasuke and noticed his Sharingan, "I'm sure he didn't have that before…what did…what happened to him? How did he get so powerful? Is Madara responsible for this?" Sasuke appeared before him with lightning speed and punched him into the wall repeatedly. Ino was yelling for Naruto to fight back. Ino pulled out a kunai and started to run toward them, someone appeared in front of her and put a hand on her shoulder, "Now now, young lady, this is their fight." Madara led her back.

Ino was stuck in Madara's grasp, she knew there was no way she could overpower someone like him. She decided to just wait and watch.

Sasuke was hitting Naruto repeatedly until Naruto broke through the stone wall completely. Naruto lay against a wall, "This is crazy, and how did he get so-"Naruto's thoughts were cut off. Sasuke reached for him, Naruto felt a surge of great anger wash over him and blacked out for what seemed like a second. When he regained consciousness Sasuke was on one knee holding side and pulling a kunai out. "**You're welcome…boy." **Naruto heard the Kyuubi's words.

Naruto looked at his hands, they were covered in blood. Ino stared in amazement, "Naruto…you…" Madara remained silent and then, "This is getting good." Sasuke spit out some blood, "That was a pretty good move, I wasn't anticipating that." Sasuke chuckled and stood up. He held his hand toward his wound; greenish red fire erupted from his fingertips and slowly healed his wound. Sasuke said to him, "Didn't know I could do that…"

Naruto stood still and closed his eyes. Sasuke smirked and said, "He's finally getting serious. Good." Naruto had turned into his Sage form. He opened his eyes and Ino saw the frog-like pupils in his eyes. Naruto held out his hand and beckoned Sasuke to fight him. Sasuke ran forward with full force. Sasuke struck forward with palm but Naruto ducked under it, Naruto tried to uppercut him but Sasuke moved his head to side. Sasuke kicked into Naruto's side but he caught his leg and he pulled and twirled him around. Sasuke stopped himself by stepping hard with the other leg and then kicking Naruto in the face. Sasuke flipped up on his hands and threw his Chokuto at Naruto.

Naruto grabbed Sasuke's sword and threw it back at him. Sasuke ducked under the sword but didn't see Naruto generating Rasengan behind it; Naruto thrust the Rasengan into Sasuke's chest. The wind was knocked out of Sasuke and he fell to the ground with a thud. Naruto walked over to now motionless Sasuke. He reached down but strange markings had seeped through Sasuke's skin and burned Naruto's hand. Naruto pulled it back and started waving his hand.

Sasuke pulled himself up, "Like my new powers?" Naruto replied, "Yeah, pretty impressive, shame they were just given to you. You never had to work for anything! Everything was just given to you. Popularity, teachers, girls, you were given everything and yet you wanted more and more. You're nothing more than a spoiled brat." Sasuke scowled and appeared behind Naruto, he elbowed him in the back of the neck. Sasuke stood over and said, "You fool, you know nothing." Then what happened next happened in the time span of one second. Naruto exploded into smoke; Sasuke was surprised and stepped back. He heard wind whipping behind him and was hit with a bright spinning light, "Rasen-Shuriken!" Sasuke heard a loud ripping sound and then everything went blank.

Madara then said, seemingly to Ino, "It seems Sasuke wasn't as powerful as I hoped I'd made him." Ino replied, "What are you gonna do to me?" Madara chuckled to himself, "Why, young lady, you are just the thing I need to really bring out Naruto's full potential." Madara appeared in front of Naruto, holding Ino hostage.

Naruto yelled out, "You let her go, now!" Madara nodded and said, "Sorry young man, I like to have witnesses…" Naruto replied, "Witnesses for what?" Madara chuckled again and threw Ino at Naruto. Ino stood behind Naruto as Madara took off his mask. He then took off the black veil under it.

Naruto gasped at seeing Madara's true face. The right side of face looked destroyed beyond repair. The left side had blood that had dried and caked onto his skin, it looked like Madara had never even bothered to clean it off. The right side of face also had numerous nuts and bolts hammered into his skin. Madara took off his right glove; his hand had numerous screws in it as well. "I've been waiting for someone like Sasuke," He started "To gain the power of the eternal Mangekyou Sharingan and truly follow in my footsteps. Now, that day has come and I have found the most powerful Uchiha alive." He looked down at Sasuke with his one Sharingan eye. "Mangekyou Sharingan."

Black fire appeared all around Sasuke's unconscious body, "NO!" Naruto yelled. He threw a bunch of kunai at Madara but they were melted by Ameterasu. Madara put his hand into his pocket and pulled out the device that created the clones and gave Sasuke the new powers. Naruto noticed and said, "What are you doing with that thing?" Madara smiled and said, "Being reborn."

Madara stepped into the fire and touched it onto Sasuke's chest. The fire turned white and Sasuke was revived, he gasped for air. Madara stood up and made numerous hand signs Naruto had never seen before. The same symbols that were on Sasuke started to appear in the ground. Naruto yelled, "Watch out!" Naruto scooped up Ino in his arms and jumped away. He jumped up to a ledge and looked down in horror.

Sasuke reached up to Madara, "Please…no…." Madara nodded and said, "Sorry, my brother. This must be done, you should feel honored." Sasuke had a look of terror on his face and starting screaming in pain. "NO! I have to stop this madness!!" Naruto jumped down towards the bright fire but it soon expanded into a dome of light and enveloped Naruto. Ino looked on in fear.

It seemed like hours Naruto was gone inside the white light. Ino was too scared to take a single step toward the dome, she just repeatedly screamed Naruto's name. After she had ran her voice ragged and couldn't yell anymore, she saw activity in white dome. It started to crack like a cocoon. After waiting forever the cocoon finally cracked apart and Ino could see inside of it. The smoke had cleared and saw Naruto, completely unharmed, he looked dazed but unharmed.

"Wow, this feels incredible, didn't think I'd be back after waiting so long." Naruto was at attention now. The smoke was completely gone and saw something that made him so sick he vomited. There was only ash where Sasuke's clothes were. Naruto was on his hands and knees reaching out toward him. There, stood what looked exactly like Sasuke, but was someone else. He wore red armor down his arms and his chest and lower regions, his legs had armor plating as well. Strapped on his back was a giant flag that looked like a Sharingan eye. Under his armor were normal Konoha ninja uniform clothes. He had a Konoha headband on his forehead. He cracked his knuckles under his dark blue gloves. He shook his head and rustled his long flowing raven hair. He looked 100 percent identical to Sasuke but had different eyes, very different.

"Allow me to re-introduce myself!" He said. He took a step forward and bowed down graciously, "My name is Madara Uchiha!" Naruto was stunned standing, "What…what did you do to Sasuke!?" Madara smiled and stepped on Sasuke's clothes, "That's what happened." Naruto stepped back, "You can't mean….you're not saying…" Madara grinned and said, "That's right, Sasuke Uchiha is dead, he no longer exists." Madara then started laughing.

Naruto had punched him in the chest with all his might, Madara flew back into a wall. Naruto rushed toward him, Madara smirked and walked forward. Madara back handed Naruto into the ground. He then picked him up and kicked him into the air. Madara jumped back and took the large fan off his back, he then swung it. Naruto fell right into the wind stream. Naruto screamed in pain, it felt like the wind was lava hot, it was burning into his skin. Naruto was slammed into an opposite rock face. His clothes were burnt off and his skin was burned. Naruto fell to the ground with a groan. Madara walked over to Naruto, "It seems I regained ALL of my old powers and all of Sasuke's. I feel incredible, but don't die on me too soon. I need a punching bag to work all the kinks out and a loser Sage like you is just what I need…"

Naruto jumped up in a flash, somehow he had generated a Rasen-Shuriken and thrust it forward at Madara, and he jumped back and pulled out his fan. The Rasen-Shuriken dug into the fan but it must've had some strange property in it, "Fool, this fan is something special, I can project my Sharingan onto it." Naruto gasped as he lost control of Rasen-Shuriken and it exploded in his hand. Naruto was blown straight up into the air. Madara appeared above him and slammed him into ground by stomping him in the chest with both legs.

Ino saw everything and screamed, "Naruto!" Ino started to cry. Naruto had reverted from Sage mode into his normal form. Madara stepped on his throat lightly, "You'll be no loss, there are dozens of ninja as powerful as you, and I'll find someone that can give me a good challenge someday…" Madara pressed harder on Naruto's throat, he started gagging and choking on his own blood. Madara turned and caught Ino by the neck; she had jumped at him with a kunai knife. "You know a pretty young lady shouldn't meddle in the affairs of men," He started. Madara caressed Ino's cheek, "You know, I could use a beautiful young lady like you by side…so…how about it?" Ino looked in his smiling face and spat in his face.

The smile had disappeared from Madara's face and he took a long sigh, "I don't understand why you'd choose this…weakling," he pointed to Naruto, "Over someone like me. It always confuses me. Oh well, I offered you a good deal, not to mention…" Madara chuckled, "I'm pretty good in the sack." Ino scoffed disgustingly at Madara. Ino said, "I'll never go anywhere with you, motherfucker." Madara took a breath, "Is that your final answer?" Ino tried to spit in his face but Madara caught her spit and smacked her in face with it. Ino fell to the ground. Madara walked over to her, "If you were a little more civil, I might have considered letting you live…but now…" Madara cut his finger and made a combination of hand signs, "Summoning Jutsu." The scroll exploded into smoke and now there was a long scythe in his hand. The handle looked to made of some dark metal, and where the blade met the handle, there was a carved Sharingan eye. The scythe blade straightened and Madara poised it at Ino's chest.

Naruto woke up and saw Madara, "NO!" Ino turned her head to head Naruto and held her hand up towards him. Naruto heard nothing, only saw the movements on her lips. Everything was in slow motion, Naruto saw her lips form the shapes of the letters "I" and then what looked like "love" and finally "you" Then Naruto finally heard a yelp and saw the scythe blade in her heart. He saw Ino look at him again, now her eyes had gone blank and she was coughing up blood. Madara pulled out the scythe and dug the handle into the ground, "Good riddance, you stupid whore." Madara threw her into the mud.

Madara turned over to Naruto to see him rushing at him, Madara readied himself but Naruto ran past him. Naruto ran to Ino. "Please…please don't die…" Naruto had starting tearing up. Ino looked up at him, her breathing was shallow, "Naruto…I…" Naruto shushed her, "Don't say anything…" Ino smiled and reached up and kissed him, "I always did love you…" Ino started to cry, Naruto did as well.

Clouds rolled in all around them and thunder starting to sound, soon rain started to patter down on them. "Naruto, remember what I said, no matter what you do, it is the right choice." Naruto nodded and started to break down. He held Ino's hand and she squeezed back, he kissed her forehead and she smiled again, then she coughed up a large amount of blood. "No!" Ino's grip on his hand weakened and she was silent, she slowly murmured, "Naruto…I…love…" Ino was silent now. Her skin was pale, her eyes glazed. Naruto averted his eyes and closed Ino's.

Madara walked up to him, "So is your stupid whore dead or what? Don't worry, you'll be joining her soon enough."

Naruto ignored what he said. Naruto held Ino tightly in his arms, sobbing. "No, please don't go Ino, please don't go…" He thought. He said this in his head over and over again. Ino had felt cold now, the warmth had left her body as rain pattered on her, washing away the blood and dirt, leaving only her beautiful face, now motionless, with no feeling anymore.

Naruto found himself in the part of his mind holding the Kyuubi.

"**She's gone, boy, let her go." **Naruto replied to the Kyuubi, "I can't…I love her." The Kyuubi then said, **"You must, you must fight or that Uchiha will kill you like her…" **Naruto then said, "That…Uchiha…" Naruto felt blinding fury filling him. **"You know what to do child, release me now, let me have him boy, we'll have our vengeance on him together."** Naruto agreed with the monster and walked to the cage holding the monster dwelling in his mind. Naruto reached out to the lock, **"Yes, just a little more, we'll make him suffer, I promise you this." **Naruto was mesmerized by thoughts of bloodlust and hatred. He ripped the lock apart, he felt himself being washed over by red chakra.

Back in reality, Naruto looked down at Ino, motionless. Madara yawned and walked over to Naruto and put his hand on his shoulder, "Time for you-" Madara was shocked through his whole body by something sinister, "No it can't," Madara jumped far back, "You can't release it!"

Red chakra swirled from the ground around Ino and Naruto. His eyes had turned red and his pupils slit like a fox's. He hunched over and was on his hands and knees, he started growling. He looked down at his hands, his skin was crawling and breaking apart, red ooze was flowing from his openings. His teeth had sharpened, his back was opening up, and he was surrounded by blood red chakra. He soon started to thrash around wildly; he threw Ino's body into some mud and stood up.

He became encased in an orb of jet black chakra. Madara waited anxiously. He heard a loud roar coming from it, a large forearm emerged from the orb and reached for Madara, he jumped out of its grip and evaded it. He made a combination of hand signs and spat fireballs at the orb; they didn't even reach the orb before they disappeared into air. Madara held out his hand while running and a flame of Ameterasu appeared his palm. He ran at the orb and dug it into the orb; his hand disappeared into the blackness. Madara pulled his arm back and back-flipped far away. Madara's hand was singed lightly. Madara looked into the hole he made and saw the large red eye staring at him.

Madara stepped back and attempted to heal his hand but the large arm returned for another turn and slammed Madara over a ledge. Madara landed on top of a building. He was in a small ghost town, long abandoned, so old the structures are made of rock. He took this moment to heal his hand with the greenish fire. Madara said to himself, "Come then, you beast." He looked up the ledge and heard a loud roar, a long black writhing mass of chakra hung in the air, and it struck down in a straight line and smashed into the ground.

Madara perched himself on top of an old chimney and watched. The smoke had cleared and Madara had seen 6 long tails smashing clumsily into buildings. Naruto had been completely turned into a monster, his body had been completely coated in the sinister energy of the Kyuubi and there were only 2 white lights where his eyes and a mouth that opened into darkness.

Madara sighed, "This is gonna suck." The Kyuubi swung its arm and it stretched forward at Madara. He was able to dodge the attack but didn't see the second arm, it smashed into him and threw him through numerous stone structures and slammed him into the ground. The Kyuubi roared and held him up to his face by both arms.

"Think you're big and tough now huh?" Madara asked the Kyuubi. He continued, "You knew you couldn't beat me on your own so you used this thing's power to help you. How shameful, your father and Jiraiya would be ashamed. Someone as weak as you didn't deserve to be loved; I enjoyed skewering your little bitch, and just to show you…Tsukiyomi!" Madara opened his left eye and the Kyuubi was captured in the Genjutsu.

"Who am I?" Naruto felt himself asking. He looked around, he was in a void of total darkness, and he looked at his hands, "What worth am I?" Someone answered from the darkness, "You are Naruto Uzumaki." Someone stepped forward. "You…" Naruto started. "Naruto…," Sasuke started "You are who you choose to be." Naruto replied, "I choose?" Sasuke nodded and said, "Yes, it was always your decision on which person you are. Look." Sasuke raised his hand and a clear hole appeared in the space above his hand. Naruto gasped, "That's…" Sasuke said, "Yes, that's you when you change."

Naruto saw the Kyuubi monster fighting Madara. He saw himself changed into the evil monster. It had now grown its 7th tail, and releasing bubbles of chakra around its body. "I don't understand, I thought Madara used Tsukiyomi on the Kyuubi, not me." Sasuke replied, "The Tsukiyomi sought the most dominant personality. It found you." Naruto said, "I'm the dominant?" A voice replied from behind him, "You always were, you were the one I loved." Naruto turned and saw Ino standing there. Naruto started crying and tried to embrace her but he fell right through her. "Naruto," Ino started, "We are only manifestations of your mind, and we do not exist in real life, in this space…" Naruto looked around, "Where are we?" Sasuke replied, "This is your mind, not the joint dimension between you and Kyuubi, this is your dimension, your sanctum created by you, deep in your heart."

"Why am I here?" Naruto asked. Sasuke then said, "This place is your heart and mind took refuge when you were taken over by the Kyuubi." Naruto had a difficult time understanding. "This is where you are god, Naruto." Naruto turned to his left, his father, Minato stood there. Naruto looked at his reflection in the ground underneath him, "I'm god?" Minato nodded, "This is your world, and you make the decisions son." Naruto decided to test this theory; he turned to Sasuke and concentrated on him. He started to ripple into waves and changed into his 12 year old form. "I am…" Sasuke said, "See? You're god in this place, not even the Kyuubi can force his way into this place."

Naruto looked around and concentrated on his surroundings, the world turned into Konoha. "This is really…but, how do I know I'm in this dimension?" Ino replied, "The Tsukiyomi attacked you directly but since your mind is shared with the Kyuubi, there was have been some repercussion. Anyway, it made you self-aware of this place." Naruto then said, "How do I get out of here?" Minato said, "That my son is up to you. You allowed the Kyuubi to take over; you're responsible for dealing it."

Naruto closed his eyes and willed everyone to disappear. He focused his mind and entered Sage mode, "Well at least I can still become a sage…" A voice said behind him, "Yes, you can." Naruto turned around and saw Fukasaku, the boss frog. "How are you in here?" Fukasaku replied, "Your Sage powers, Naruto, did you ever really wonder just how powerful they were?" Naruto was confused, "You mean…besides punching stuff really hard?" Fukasaku grinned and said, "It's time you saw your lineage, Naruto."

Naruto looked around and the saw the world around him changing. "Where am I?" A voice replied, "You're in the ancient realm of the Sages, where all Sages go when they die." Naruto turned and saw Jiraiya, his master standing before him. "It's you…" Tears started to well up in Naruto's eyes. Jiraiya walked forward and put his hand on his shoulder, "Look," Jiraiya pointed behind him and Naruto turned around and saw at least a few dozen people on clothes similar to Jiraiya's. "These are the past 99 Sages of the Shinobi world, Naruto. You are the 100th." Naruto replied, "I am?" Jiraiya nodded and said, "You are the 1st sage that is alive to visit this dimension." Naruto replied, "Why are you showing me this?" Fukasaku said, "To show you the long line of powerful ninja you are a part of. Naruto, you always were a special case, I knew you would be one of the most powerful, if not the." Naruto swallowed, "So what happens now?" Jiraiya replied, "We're here to give you a gift, Naruto." Naruto replied, "What is it?" Fukasaku said, "Knowledge, the knowledge of 99 Sages will run through you and you will have their powers, their memories, you will become them." Naruto felt confused, "Will it hurt?" Fukasaku started laughing, "Not at all young man, are you ready?"

In the real world, the Kyuubi had now released 8 tails. Madara was fighting the beast with all might and doing very well. Madara looked up and saw Gaara, Neji, Lee, and the others staring in fear, Kiba held Ino's body in his arms. Madara grinned as if to say they were next. "It's time to finish this…" The Kyuubi roared and lashed its tails about. Madara's grin was wiped off his face when the final tail was released and the Kyuubi was now completely free.

"Fuck."

Madara used Ameterasu to get some distance between himself and the beast but it jumped over the flames and reached for Madara. He was able to dodge it, but the monster swung one of its massive tails and sent Madara flying. While still in mid-air, Madara made a combination of hand signs, "Summoning Jutsu!" A large cloud of smoke hung in the air. When it cleared, Madara stood on top of a giant monarch butterfly. The Kyuubi concentrated its power into its mouth and released a large burst of chakra at the butterfly. Madara used a massive teleportation jutsu and appeared in front of the Kyuubi. It spread its wings and Madara projected his Sharingan onto its wings.

The Kyuubi was mesmerized by the Sharingan; it was under a total trance. Madara told the monster, "Sorry, but since you are no longer needed, I can destroy you now…" Madara made a special hand sign and the monster was enveloped in a giant black cocoon. "Now to finish it…" Black flames danced all over the surface of the orb. Madara smirked and said, "It seems a big dumb thing like you wasn't so tough after all." Madara started laughing. He turned his attention to Gaara and the others. He flew up to them on the back of the giant butterfly, "Well I guess you are some loose ends, huh? So who will it be 1st, how about you Kazekage?" Gaara readied himself. Madara stepped off the butterfly and walked toward the group, he willed the scythe he killed Ino with to his hand.

The group was ready to fight but then a bright white light emanated from where the Kyuubi was left. Madara turned and walked over to the ledge. He jumped back on the butterfly and flew down to the orb. The orb had turned bright white, emanating a warm light. "What is that?" Madara reached forward. He was struck back; he flew off the butterfly as it was destroyed. Madara slowed his fall by digging his scythe into the walls of the ravine. "What…the…?" Madara was speechless. The orb started to get smaller, much smaller, it touched the ground. Madara jumped to the ground.

Madara walked up the orb and examined it closely. Soon the orb started to crack apart and reveal what was inside. "You…" Naruto had been turned back into his human form, but something was different. He emanated a soft white glow from his body. His hair was white and long. He had Ma and Pa frog attached to his shoulders, he was even dressed like a Sage. He took a step forward, fresh green grass grew where he stepped.

"What are you!?" Madara yelled. Naruto replied, "I am no longer one entity. I am the Sage Naruto…" Madara pulled out his scythe and ran at him; he swung the scythe down but hit only air. "Where did he go?"

"Kiba…" Naruto appeared behind Kiba and the others. They all jumped from surprise but they just stared at Naruto, he emanated amazing power. "Kiba, hold her still for me okay?" Kiba looked down at Ino and said, "Sure thing." Naruto pricked his finger and made a small symbol on Ino's forehead. The same light emanating from Naruto's body enveloped Kiba and Ino. Kiba felt warmth and peace throughout his body; he never felt so at peace. "Please…come back to me."

Kiba looked at where Ino was stabbed by Madara's scythe; the opening was closing and healing at an amazingly rapid pace. "Naruto…you're…" Kiba started. Leaves started to swirl around them; grass had grown in the dirt patch they were standing in. Naruto leaned forward and kissed her lips, "Wake up." Kiba looked down and felt a strange energy flowing through him and wondered if maybe…

Naruto put his hand on her face and closed his eyes. It felt like they were waiting forever then Kiba felt the air grow cold and warm at the same time and then a loud gasp came from the body Kiba was holding. Ino fell to the ground gasping in air, letting it fill her lungs. Naruto knelt down and Ino looked at him, "Naruto…I knew…I just knew…" Naruto smiled warmly and shushed her, "It's okay, you'll be okay now." Naruto stood and turned to Gaara, "Gaara, old friend, I need a favor…" Gaara replied, "Name it." Naruto replied, "Take everyone far from here." Gaara then said, "Won't you need help?" Naruto walked past him and looked over the ledge, Madara was waiting patiently at the bottom. "Gaara, this is something only I can do and I must do it alone, please go."

Gaara nodded, "Guys, let's go." Ino nodded, "Naruto." Naruto turned to Ino, "Don't you lose, okay?" Naruto gave her a smile and said, "Don't worry about a thing honey." Ino smiled and turned away. Naruto turned his head toward Madara below him. He jumped off of the ledge and landed in front of Madara, grass growing under his feet.

"So what are you now?" Ma frog said, "This is the ultimate sage!" Pa frog yelled from the other side of Naruto's head, "I liked you about 2 minutes ago when you were silent!" Ma frog yelled back, "Shut the fuck up!" Pa frog looked surprised, "You can't talk to your husband like that!" Ma frog yelled again, "I'll say whatever I want!" Naruto interjected, "Quiet down you 2, now." Ma and Pa frog quickly were silent.

Naruto looked at Madara, "Madara, you can never be forgiven for the crimes you have committed and you will pay for what you done." Madara chuckled, "'we' who's we?" Naruto cracked his neck and said, "Me, and the 99 Toad Sage's souls coursing through my body." Madara laughed and said, "Cute, boy, Very cute." Naruto took a large scroll off his back, he made a hand sign and it turned into a long and thin rod. Madara asked, "What is that?" Naruto held it up and said, "Staff of 99 Sages." Naruto swung and Madara was knocked through a small stone building's wall by a gust of wind. Ma frog said, "Let's see how good you are against a Sage who has mastered the arts of all the elements!" A kunai knife flew through the smoke, aimed at Ma frog but Naruto caught. Madara appeared in front of him. Naruto tightened his grip and bent the kunai in half and dropped it to the ground. "This…is gonna be good, I can tell." Naruto replied, "I think so too." Madara held up his scythe and Naruto raised his staff.

The ground underneath them exploded they released so much chakra; they met each other and struck their weapons against the other's…

**Well that's the chapter guys. I hope you liked it, remember to review and subscribe. Be sure to lookout for the next chapter, the final chapter of "Nightmares."**


	13. Tree

"Look Naruto, look at the atrocities man has committed throughout the worlds." Naruto started to see images swirling around him, "Atrocities?" Jiraiya stood behind and pointed him in one direction. Naruto looked forward and saw a video-like portal which showed a line of people being led into a small room by a group of tough looking soldiers holding guns. The people were killed with some kind of gas, their skin melting off their bones. He then saw a short looking man with a small mustache under his nose yelling a speech to a bunch of people in a very angry sounding language.

After that, he saw people in an ancient looking society being whipped by people with ornate hats and building large, triangle like buildings in the hot sun.

"What is this?" Naruto asked. Jiraiya replied, "This is the evil humanity has been capable of…" Naruto then said, "I've never heard of events like these." Jiraiya said, "That's because they didn't happen in the timeline of this dimension." Naruto let out a small surprised whimper, "There are many different variations of existence, Naruto. The similarity is: There are Sages in all of them. We are the keepers of nature and life, we protect the balance, without us nature would die and nobody could survive."

Naruto stared in awe, "And I'm really one of these Sages?" Jiraiya nodded and said, "Yes, you are a ninja sage in life and a small representation of what you really are, of course when a Sage dies he comes here to the dimension of Sages to oversee the dimensions." Naruto stood and pondered for a moment, "This is where I'll go when I…?" Jiraiya smiled, "Yes Naruto, not too bad is it?" Naruto said, "Maybe…"

Jiraiya smiled and said, "Come Naruto, it's time." Jiraiya led Naruto to Fukasaku and a numerous number of Sages standing in a circle. "Ok, let's do it," Naruto said. The Sages crowded around him. Naruto started to get nervous, "Easy Naruto, it'll be fine." Naruto listened to Jiraiya and relaxed his breathing. The Sages seemed to be touching him but they intangibly passed through him. "What are they doing?" Fukasaku replied, "They are channeling their worldly energies into you, focus now, can you feel it?" Naruto closed his eyes and relaxed, "I…I can feel it…It feels warm…" Fukasaku said, "Let it be Naruto." Naruto smiled and said, "Ok."

Naruto opened his eyes to the bright light.

"Way to daydream off." Naruto looked forward and saw Madara looking back at him. Naruto chuckled and said, "Oh sorry, I can't believe that happened." Madara sighed and said, "How are we supposed to have some big climactic epic battle if you drift in and out of your own world?" Naruto nodded and said, "Well then, don't bore me man." Madara grimaced and threw a handful of shuriken at Naruto. He swung the long staff that had come with him from the dimension of Sages; large rocks protruded from the ground and shielded him from the shuriken. Madara punched through the rock and swung the scythe at Naruto, he jammed his staff against the hilt of the scythe. Madara pulled the scythe up and dropkicked Naruto in the chest, Naruto grabbed his leg and dropped him to the ground and swung the staff down, and Madara guarded himself with the scythe. Madara pulled the giant fan off his back and swung it, releasing a gust of air that catapulted him away from Naruto.

Madara jumped in the air and swung the fan again, the massive gust of hot wind flew toward Naruto.

Naruto twirled his staff in hand and swung the staff, as he swung it, crystal blue water appeared like Naruto was ripping something open in the sky. The water raged and hit the stream of air, the water exploded, partially into steam. Rain droplets dropped to the ground all around Naruto. Madara landed on the ground, "Time you're shown how to really use elemental jutsu!"

Madara put his hands on the water covered ground and channeled electricity through it. Naruto was shocked by it and brought to his knees. Madara walked over to him and reached for him but Naruto uppercut him with a fist charged with electric-based chakra. Madara fell back and Naruto lurched forward and kicked Madara in his stomach which slammed him down into the hard ground.

Madara flipped off his back and got some distance between himself and Naruto. Madara made a hand sign and a massive wall of rock appeared out of the ground and separated Naruto and Madara. Naruto grabbed his staff and ran up the wall. Madara met him at the top and swung his scythe at him but Naruto ducked him and stabbed Madara with his staff.

Madara fell off the side but pushed himself off the side of the wall. Madara made a hand sign and a massive rock hand appeared from the ground and reached for Naruto, he made a hand sign of his own and an equally large hand smashed into the other and they broke into pieces. Madara skipped off the falling rocks and approached Naruto.

Naruto parried Madara's scythe swing and punched him down to the ground. Madara tried to make another hand sign but Naruto grabbed his arm and punched him in the stomach and threw him by his arm into the air into one of the following rocks.

Madara fell to the ground but quickly recovered. "Ameterasu," black flames jetted toward Naruto but he made a special type of hand sign and put his hand into the ground, it shook and broke apart. The black flames whizzed past Naruto. Madara threw some shuriken at Naruto but he dodged them, "What are you doing?" Madara asked. Naruto replied, "This." The ground rumbled and shook apart, Madara looked down the crevice and saw water, and then he realized…Naruto was breaking the island into pieces.

"I've got to stop this, "Madara thought. Madara arched his giant scythe back and threw it with all his might as Naruto. A loud piercing whistle broke through the air as it flew; it would have cut Naruto in half if 2 large masses of rock didn't stop it in its tracks. "Fuck," Madara said to himself as he ran forward, dodging breaking-apart ground underneath him.

Madara created Chidori in his hand and struck it into the rock, smashing it. He spun around and grabbed his scythe with his free hand and swung it at Naruto; who arched back and stood on his hands and kicked Madara in the face. Madara grabbed his leg and tried to cut it off with the scythe but Naruto pulled himself up and head-butted him. Madara grabbed his neck and choke-slammed him into the ground. Madara then attempted to strangle Naruto but the ground beneath them started to open up. They scattered in opposite directions.

The island was no longer holding together, it had totally been broken apart in many smaller islands. "I can't believe this," Gaara said to the others. They were standing in a boat far off from the island. Lee said, "Those two already destroyed the island…" Neji then stated, "What else are they gonna do?"

Naruto threw paper bombs at Madara but they were eaten up by Ameterasu. Madara threw a large boulder but Naruto kicked it into pebbles. Madara burst through the powdered rock and threw it in Naruto's eyes. Naruto fell back and Madara capitalized by unleashing a flurry of strikes on him. Madara pounded him into the ground until Naruto burst into smoke and appeared next to Madara, he stood on his hand and double kicked Madara in the left side of his face.

Madara staggered to his right but Naruto appeared on his side and kneed him in the stomach, the Naruto backhanded him. Madara fell back but as he fell, he summoned his scythe and swung at Naruto's legs, he trapped him where the blade meets the hilt and swung him over, now sitting on him, "This is where you die!" Madara created Chidori in his hand, he concentrated the chakra so intensely, and it was the most intense white.

Madara thrust it forward but Naruto caught the blade of lightning in his hand, "If you think you're gonna kill me with Sasuke's attack, you got another thing coming!" Naruto generated Rasengan in his other hand and thrust it into Madara's chest. Madara flew up into the air. Naruto got up holding his hand; it was much damaged from grabbing Chidori like he did. He concentrated his chakra and slowly healed his hand, "It's not perfect but at least I can use it…" Naruto put down his newly healed hand as Madara fell to the ground. Naruto walked over to where Madara fell.

"See where your plans and machinations got you?" Naruto started, "You're probably dead now because you were so stupid as to let things go but good wasn't good enough for you…" Madara opened his eyes and looked at Naruto and looked down at his chest. The armor he wore on his chest was warped into a circle shape; he was hurting even though the armor took the brunt of the hit.

Madara pulled himself up. Naruto threw a punch but Madara caught it, "That was good thinking you did, with catching Chidori and all, if that was Sasuke, he would've been dead but I'm not Sasuke." Madara released Naruto's hand and Naruto stepped back. Madara reached forward and grabbed the back of his head and brought down to his knee. Naruto fell back to the ground. "See? You have no chance of winning." Madara stated.

Naruto lay on the ground, "I'm not gonna let him beat me, not after everything that he's done…" Naruto stayed still. "What are you doing?" Madara asked. Naruto jumped up and punched Madara in the face with his Sage strength; Madara flew into the air and hit the ground with a thud.

Naruto had a chill go up his spine and looked down, Madara's scythe raised from the ground and captured his legs in a snare, the scythe swung him around and through a rock face and over the edge of the broken island. Naruto reached out to break his fall but he falling too fast and he fell into the water.

Madara picked up his scythe and walked over to the ledge. Madara put the scythe on his back and jumped off. "Ameterasu" A large orb of black fire appeared at the surface of the water and expanded. The water evaporated quickly until there was a tunnel all the down to the ocean floor. Naruto lay at the bottom.

"What are you doing? You have the power to end this," Jiraiya said. Naruto replied, in his dream like world, "I…I know but-"Jiraiya cut him off, "Sasuke is dead Naruto. He is not coming back no matter how powerful a sage you are." Naruto looked disdainfully at Jiraiya and nodded, "I understand…" Jiraiya sighed and said, "I know he's your friend but look at what Madara did to him. He's gone now, and it would be an insult to his memory to allow Madara to do whatever he wished with his body and his jutsu." Naruto smirked, "So what do I do?" Jiraiya replied, "That's easy, fight."

Madara walked over Naruto, still lying still, "Seems you weren't as powerful as you thought…" Madara reached towards Naruto's throat to finish it but Naruto grabbed his arm and punched him with the other hand. Madara staggered back but Naruto, still holding his arm, backhanded him to the ground. Naruto tore the armor of Madara's left arm and made a seal on it.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Madara screamed. The seal lit up and Madara screamed in pain, Madara scooted away like a scalded dog writhing around. "What the FUCK did you do to me!?" Madara yelled. Naruto replied calmly, "That is a special sage seal that eradicated any trace of chakra. You will never make a hand sign again." Madara calmed down and smirked, "That's what you think…" Madara made a hand sign with one hand, surprising Naruto. Madara inhaled and spat a large fireball at Naruto, which hit him like a train and was pushed into the wall of water.

Madara pulled himself up, holding his arm, "Not again, I was cursed like this again, how stupid of me not to kill him years ago…" Madara looked at his arm; there were strange seals that were exuding a pale light. Madara looked up and saw Naruto falling from the air, Madara jumped back just as Naruto brought his foot into the ground, making a crater around his foot.

"How do I get rid of this thing?" Madara demanded. Naruto nodded and replied, "You don't." Madara grimaced. Naruto tilted his head and said, "Quit now, you can barely stand…" Madara's face tightened up and anger swelled. Madara took his scythe off his back and let the blade rest on the ground. "If you think I'll let you get away with doing this to me, you have another thing coming…"

Archaic writing appeared all over his body, just like Sasuke. They meshed with the glowing seal on his arm and now made a black and white picture up and down his arm. "What…are…?" Naruto started. Madara appeared in front of his and swung his limp left arm and hit Naruto in the face. Madara kicked him up into the air and grabbed him with the right hand and slammed him down into the ground. Madara flipped forward and stomped and Naruto's spine. Naruto let out a squeal of pain.

"You think I'm gonna stand for this!? Do you know who I am!? I'm Madara Uchiha, I am a GOD!" Madara picked him up by his hair and threw him into the air at the orb of Ameterasu in the air. Naruto realized where he was and held out his hands, using his manipulation of wind chakra to stop his ascent. He looked down and saw Madara rising toward him with bloodlust in his eyes. Naruto back-stroked through the air, dodging Madara as he flew into his own Ameterasu. Naruto landed on the water overlooking the tunnel that led to the ocean floor. The Ameterasu disappeared and the water filled in.

Naruto stood on the water watching the ball of black slowly dissipate. Something fell from it, Madara stood up, brushing the fire off his clothes as if he couldn't feel it there. "Man, I was hoping the fire killed him." Naruto thought to himself.

Madara stood on the water as well. The strange symbols tattooed onto his skin, dark circles around his eyes. Naruto examined this phenomenon closely; he'd never seen something like this. He originally thought of the curse mark on Sasuke's neck but that was long removed.

Madara lifted his left arm slowly, he could barely feel it, and there was no chakra in it at all. Madara closed his fist. "I guess I'll show you what happens when you fuck me over like this…" Madara made a fire type hand sign. "What is he doing?" Naruto said to himself. Madara then spoke, "Do you know how most islands are formed?" Naruto looked quizzically at him. Madara continued, "They are made by underwater volcanoes erupting and the magma hardening into rock." Naruto replied, "What's your point?" Madara smiled and said, "You ever wonder what would happen if you re-awoke the sleeping volcano that made the island?"

Naruto shuddered, "You can't!" Madara smirked and made another one-handed hand sign. The ocean rumbled and waves formed. Naruto staggered on the moving waves. "Stop this!" Madara ignored his words. Naruto turned around and was hit by a giant wave. Naruto was brought to his hands and knees. Whirlpools swirled around him. Naruto stood up, soaking wet. "Madara, stop this!"

Madara closed his eyes, "I can't stop this, and I won't stop…not until you're fresh fried." Naruto sighed and threw a kunai but a rush of steam burst from the ocean and knocked it into the air. "Wha…?" Naruto said to himself.

Naruto looked underneath him; red heat rose from the ocean, Naruto was hit with steam. "I got to get out of here or I'll be steamed like corn!" Naruto teleported out of the steam and got distance. "What a freak…He's raising the volcano!" The ocean broke apart and a mound of rock and gravel rose. "Fuck…" Naruto said to no one in particular.

Madara appeared in front of him and punched him in stomach, then backhanded him. Naruto staggered back into a whirlpool. He jumped out of it, Madara met him and swung his scythe, Naruto parried his swing with a kunai knife. "Do you understand what you're doing? You're ruining the natural order here!" Madara smirked and said, "I never cared much for nature anyway, not that you would understand you tree hugger!" Madara started to push forward and swiped Naruto's side with a shuriken. Naruto staggered and lost his grip on his knife. Madara knocked it away and pushed the blade of his scythe toward his face.

Naruto pushed forward on the hilt of the scythe but Madara kicked him towards the opening of the volcano. Naruto fell with a thud, half hanging over the mouth of the gaping hole 15 feet above the water. Madara fell on top of him, Naruto let out a yelp of pain and then Madara pushed his head toward the lava, now rising.

Naruto tried to raise himself but Madara pushed him down. Naruto couldn't move and was desperate until he remembered something Jiraiya told him, "You are a master of all the elements Naruto such is the power of a sage…" Naruto turned to the water behind them and closed his eyes and focused. A wave of water brushed over them knocking Madara off of Naruto and into the volcano. "No!" Naruto yelled and grabbed Madara's hand.

"What are you doing?" Madara asked, "I'm your enemy…" Naruto replied, "Nobody should die like this." Naruto swung him over his shoulder and to the ground. Madara walked up to Naruto, "I can't believe you would do something like that, anyone else would've let me die…" Naruto replied with a smile, "I'm not everyone else." Madara and said, "Yes, you're not like everyone else, you're dumber." Madara slammed Naruto in the face with the hilt of his scythe and threw him into the ocean, "You should've let me die boy."

Naruto arose from the water seeing sparks from the hit. Madara made another one- handed hand sign. "What are you doing now?" Madara smirked and magma bubbled from the mouth of the volcano. "You can't be…" Naruto started. The lava rose and made the shape of a dragon, "How can you have power like that!?" Naruto yelled. Madara replied, "Lots of practice!"

The dragon lurched forward at Naruto; he made a hand sign, "Water Dragon Jutsu!" Naruto ran forward and aimed the water dragon at the lava dragon. The 2 elemental monsters clashed into hardened rock and steam. When the steam dissipated, a large dragon shaped rock appeared, motionless.

Naruto and Madara made a mad dash for each other, their fists meeting each other's through the rock. They started trading blows through the rock, breaking the structure apart. Naruto uppercut Madara, sending him back. Madara recovered and kicked a piece of falling rock at Naruto; he punched it into dust which blinded him, leaving Madara open to bash him in the head with a rock.

Naruto fell to the side and Madara grabbed his side and threw him towards the mouth of the volcano. Madara appeared at the mouth and raised his right arm sending the lava in a tower straight up at Naruto.

Naruto made a quick hand sign, "Water shock wave!" Naruto concentrated his natural chakra and it turned into water and rushed at the tower of lava. The 2 forces hit each other but the fiery lava was over powering the water. "Shit, I gotta think of something!" Naruto thought to himself.

Naruto generated Rasengan in his hand held it forward. He changed its element from wind to water, soon a large twister of wind and water burst forth, sending the lava tower back into the mouth of the volcano. Madara fell back down the side.

While Naruto was still in the air, he aimed his hands and clapped them with chakra concentrated into his hands, a massive gust of air shot down at the water covered volcano, making a huge splash. Naruto fell into the rain.

When the rain was finished falling, it was apparent that the wind from Naruto's attack turned the entire area into ice. Naruto looked around; the volcano was dormant now, which was a relief. He looked around for Madara now, searching for his opponent. Naruto walked toward a big block of ice. He put his hand to it and tightened his palm. He felt it melting, Naruto's eyes widened and jumped back.

Susano'o burst forward and swung its sword at him, Naruto easily dodged it. He took perch on another block of ice. "That was a nice idea, turning the place into a winter wonderland." Naruto replied, "Thanks, I thought I was too." Madara stepped forward, dissipating Susano'o. Madara held out his arm. Naruto looked puzzled. Madara's arm shot up with light and launched something toward Naruto.

Naruto dodged the Chidori Gun attack that turned the ice he was sitting on into powder. Naruto back flipped continuously until reaching one of the sections of the islands. Madara yelled out, "What are you doing?" Naruto replied, "Luring you over here!" Madara nodded and walked towards Naruto.

After a minute of Madara's leisurely stroll, he approached Naruto, "So what do you want?" Naruto replied, "Oh just wanted to see if you would do what I said." A vain popped in Madara's head. Naruto laughed.

Madara punched forward but Naruto weaved past it and punched at Madara's face, he foresaw it thanks to his Sharingan and pulled back and kneed Naruto in the stomach. Naruto bent over and thrust both arms out and knocked Madara back. Madara brushed himself off and smirked. "I don't take kindly to stupid jokes like that." Naruto grinned and said, "You need to lighten up, maybe then you wouldn't be such an asshole."

Madara closed his eyes. "What are you doing?" Naruto asked. Madara replied with his eyes still closed, "Just calming down." Madara threw a shuriken, Naruto caught it with ease. "Still on your guard, good…" Madara said. Naruto replied, "I always am." Madara smiled and said, "That's good."

Madara kicked forward but Naruto grabbed it and twisted it, Madara spun around, stopped himself on his hand and kicked Naruto in his chest. Naruto staggered back but quickly recovered. Madara spat some kind of fire ash into his face, blinding him. Madara kicked him in the side; Naruto fell over to the ground. Madara tried to stomp on Naruto but he rolled away, Madara hopped forward to attack again but Naruto swatted his fist away and kicked him in the stomach. Madara doubled over and coughed up blood.

"Have you begun to get serious?" Madara asked, his lip dripping blood. Naruto was silent. Madara stood up straight and wiped his mouth off, "I guess that's a yes."

Naruto looked wearily at Madara, "This is crazy, even with the sage's power, and we're almost even. He destroying everything in sight with Ameterasu isn't helping by natural chakra gathering either." Naruto looked around, he didn't even mean to destroy the island, it kinda just happened since Naruto has not mastered all this power.

"I guess I'll keep fighting…for what I believe in, and what Jiraiya believed in, and what Ino and Gaara and Nagato believe in!" Naruto rushed forward, Madara dodged his strikes easily thanks to his Sharingan. Madara jumped back and took his fan off his back and swung it, hot air rushed from it and knocked Naruto into the side of a broken island.

Naruto got back and held out his hand. The staff of 99 sages appeared in his hand, "Haven't seen much of that toothpick," Madara said. Naruto replied, "Don't call it a toothpick." Madara smirked and summoned his scythe. "Come here then."

Naruto teleported behind Madara and swung the staff down, Madara raised his scythe hilt to block it, Madara parried and turned and swung it, Naruto stopped it with his scythe. Naruto's and Madara's eyes met for a brief second. They spun apart and swung their weapons from the opposite directions. Naruto kicked back, making Madara jumped back. Naruto turned and jumped forward stabbing the staff straight forward.

Madara weaved in and out of the flurry of strikes. Madara stepped back and swung his large scythe, Naruto was caught off balance and staggered, Madara tried to hit Naruto with the hilt of the scythe, Naruto arched back and kicked the scythe up, Naruto swung forward and bashed the staff on Madara's head while Madara smacked his face with the broad side of the scythe. They both fell to the ground.

Naruto flipped backwards, "Water Dragon Jutsu!" 2 water creatures rose from the sea and attacked Madara.

Madara flipped over the first one's head and ducked the rush of the second. Madara was lithely moving in and out and over and between the water dragons. Naruto teleported to the side of the island and said, "Clay Fist Jutsu!" Large hands of rock rushed forward and broke through the water dragons and grabbed Madara, they carried him to the next section of the island and smashed him into the side. Naruto was running forward making another hand sign and more water dragons appeared and raised from the ocean and smashed into where Madara crashed.

Naruto was still running when Madara burst from the smoke and spat numerous red fireballs at him. Naruto parried them with his staff. Madara jumped in the air and extended his staff into a spear and swung it from air, Naruto parried it from the ocean surface. Madara made a one-handed hand sign, "Grand Fireball!" A massive fireball streamed from his lips.

It enveloped Naruto but he swung his staff up releasing wind from it, the fireball exploding apart. Naruto was surrounded by steam but he swung his staff and cleared it away. He looked up and saw the scythe coming down on him, he stepped back to dodge it, it held stationary above the water, not falling into it. Naruto looked up, "What!?" Madara flipped forward and kicked the staff out of his hand and spun in the air and kicked forward, Naruto blocked it with both his hands. Madara flipped forward again and pulled his arms down and moved forward to double kick him in the chest.

Naruto threw a paper bomb as he fell back into Madara's face, Madara was surprised but burned it with Ameterasu as it exploded, Madara kicked the ball of Ameterasu at Naruto but he dodged it and put out his hand, a gust of energy rushed out and blinded Madara with salt water and stinging wind. Naruto teleported in front of him and punched him in the face, Madara fell back. Naruto stood over him, just then Madara burst into smoke and another Madara jumped from the water and tried to elbow him but Naruto summoned his staff and whacked him, Madara exploded into smoke. The real Madara emerged from the water while Naruto's arms were still raised and dug his hand into his stomach, "Gah!" Naruto let out a loud scream of pain, "What are you doing!?"

Madara replied, "I liked fighting the Kyuubi better!" Madara activated the seal on Naruto's stomach and destroyed it.

Naruto was in a sea of black again, "NO! I CAN'T LET THE KYUUBI TAKE OVER!" Jiraiya walked behind him, "Then don't." Naruto replied, "I can't do it." Jiraiya replied, "You have taken chakra from it many times and regained your will." Naruto nodded, "I don't think I can do it this time." Jiraiya replied, "You take that monsters power and none of its will." Naruto replied, "How do I do that?" Jiraiya replied, "You'll have to figure that one out for yourself."

Naruto focused himself; he knew he was stronger than this monster. He opened his eyes and saw Madara looking back at him, he felt the chakra of the Kyuubi but he was in complete control. "So this is what it feels like…" Naruto thought to himself. He looked at Madara, who looked more dangerous than ever. He felt his strength slowly coming back to him but he stopped the flow of the Kyuubi's evil chakra, "No, I will fight him on my own strength…" Naruto thought.

Madara walked up to his scythe and picked it up, "Seems you really have progressed kid. I know you don't get this a lot but I'm impressed with you." Madara swung it in his hands and aimed it at Naruto. "I think we get serious now…" Naruto replied, "I thought we were serious…" Madara said, "I was taking about me…," Madara brushed a section of hair from his face, "Mangekyou Sharingan."

"Ok, it seems he's really using his Sharingan now, wonderful. This should be fun…" Naruto cracked his neck and raised his staff.

Madara thrust out his left arm and the arm of Susano'o materialized around it and attacked Naruto. He jumped out of way but was smacked down to the ground by the other arm. "Now die!" Madara yelled. Susano'o sword appeared and hovered over Naruto. Susano'o dropped the sword but it was stopped. The whole sword was held at bay by the staff of 99 sages, the 2 tips of the weapons pushed on each other, the staff acting of its own accord.

"Thanks…Jiraiya…you old pervert…" Naruto thought to himself. He got up and picked up the staff and jumped backwards. Naruto pointed his staff and a bolt of yellow lightning flashed from it, it smashed into Susano'o shield. Susano'o buckled and groaned and swung its sword down at Naruto, he dug the staff into the ground and spun off it to safety.

Susano'o started to glow a dark red and changed shape, the shield turned into a crossbow. It aimed at Naruto and fired a dark red flaming arrow at him. Naruto ducked it; the arrow fell into a section of rock and melted it. "Got to avoid those…" Naruto thought. He saw Madara, safe in the rib cage of Susano'o. "I have to…" Naruto created a bunch of shadow clones.

They all attacked Susano'o from different sides, striking Susano'o with paper bombs and Shuriken, which either didn't even scratch it or bounced off. Susano'o destroyed all of them, Madara looked and saw Naruto aiming an attack at him, Susano'o reached up to grab him but it was a shadow clone. "What?" Madara said aloud. Naruto emerged from the water underneath and grabbed his head. "I'm sorry Sasuke!" Naruto plucked the right eye from Madara's head.

Madara was yelling and screaming in a shrill voice. "WHAT DID YOU DO!? WHAT THE FUCK HAVE YOU DONE TO ME!?!?" Madara screamed as he writhed and fell through into the water. Blood swam up to the surface. After a few seconds, Madara flew out of the water propelled by a jet of fire; he landed on a section of the island.

Naruto nodded and jumped to the island.

"Where did you go…?" Naruto asked himself. There was a large smokescreen surrounding him, "A cheap tactic like this? I thought you were above this." Naruto said. He started to hear scuffling noises moving around him. "What is that?" Naruto swung around and was impaled through the face with a large metal pole. Naruto's vision went black.

"WAKE UP!" Naruto was startled into consciousness, "I'm…alive?" Ma frog stood next to his head, we've been trying to save you forever." Naruto replied, "What do you mean?" Pa frog interrupted, "Naruto, you were under one of Madara's Genjutsu, he cast it a long time ago on you. Naruto looked around, the island was intact and there was no volcano or anything he remembered happening, and Madara had both eyes.

"I didn't think you would get out of Tsukiyomi," Madara stated.

"Where have you two been?" Naruto asked to the frogs on his shoulders. Pa frog replied, "We were under a Genjutsu too but human Genjutsu doesn't have nearly as much effect on frogs as on humans." Naruto nodded and said, "So how long was I out?" Ma frog replied, "5 hours." Naruto eyes widened, "5 HOURS! HOLY FUCK!"

Pa frog then said, "Naruto relax okay?" Naruto replied, "Relax? How do I relax when I've been under some Genjutsu for 5 hours?" Pa frog replied, "Look." Naruto looked forward; Madara was breathing hard and sweating. Naruto leaned to Ma frog and said, "What happened to him?" Ma replied, "He used a massive amount of chakra putting someone as powerful as you under a Genjutsu, he's nearly exhausted." Naruto then said to both, "So that's a good thing right?" Pa frog yelled, "It's a very good thing!"

Naruto stepped forward, "Well then, time to show him what I'm made of…" Naruto brushed his white hair aside.

"Come fight me, Naruto…" Madara said. Naruto nodded and obliged and threw a shuriken at Madara, he swung the scythe off his back and cut it in half. Naruto appeared in front of him and stepped on the scythe, digging it into the ground, "Shit!" Madara said. Naruto kicked forward and Madara caught his leg and threw it up. Naruto recovered by grabbing onto the hilt of the scythe and spun on it and kicked Madara in the chest.

Madara was knocked back and staggered, Naruto was once again in his face. Madara used his Sharingan to predict his movements; Madara lithely dodged every strike Naruto let out. Madara weaved out of a 2 hit combo and jumped to the side. Naruto smirked.

"What?" Madara asked. Just then he felt the impact of being hit by a train. Madara's armor cracked apart and Madara was knocked far back into a tree. Madara coughed up and said, "What did you do?" Naruto walked to him and replied, "That is the power of natural chakra. My body is covered in it, and I don't have to hit you physically to injure, something Pain learned the hard way." Madara grimaced and forced himself up. "That may be a neat trick but don't forget I'm not done here myself…"

Naruto readied himself, "Ameterasu!" Naruto burst into black flames. Naruto started flailing around as fire traveled up his arms, "WHAT DO I DO!?" Naruto screamed. Ma frog said, "Stand still." Ma and Pa inhaled and let out a loud frog croak. The supersonic scream cleared the black fire from his body and at Madara; it disappeared before it even touched him. Madara jumped forward and double kicked him in the face. Naruto staggered backwards. Madara gave him a left hook then a head butt then kneed his face and spun him around and struck out both palms and slammed him into the ground.

Madara took this opportunity to jump back and grabbed his scythe and ran forward at Naruto. Madara stood above Naruto and swung his scythe down; Naruto flipped backwards and stood on his hands. Madara held his scythe to his side and swung it from his side, "Watch out!" Ma frog yelled. "I see it!" Naruto yelled as he twirled on his hands and kicked the scythe away. Naruto fell forward onto his feet and punched forward, Madara blocked it with his scythe. Vibrations reverberated into Madara's body; he stepped back and caught himself.

Naruto stepped forward, Madara came to his senses and stuck the scythe straight forward to stab Naruto but he side-stepped it and grabbed the blade to pull it away. Naruto and Madara struggled over the blade.

"Let…go…" Madara breathed vehemently. Naruto smiled and held the blade on both sides and channeled his energy, he applied pressure…and snapped the blade in half with a loud "KERRACK" Madara lunged forward and spun and slammed Naruto in the side of the face with the broken area which used to have a blade attached to it.

Naruto spun into the dirt but stopped himself. Pa frog opened his eyes and asked, "Are you okay Naruto?" Naruto coughed up some blood and said, "Yeah…I'm fine…" Naruto stood up. "It seems Ma isn't doing too hot…" Naruto pointed to Ma frog, she was unconscious and shallowly breathing. Pa frog yelled, "Ma, please say something, say you're ok, please!" Ma started to stir and said, "Fuck up, I'm sleeping." Pa frog sighed with relief. Naruto stood up, "I don't think it's safe for even you two…" Ma frog replied, "What do you mean, you need us." Naruto nodded, "Maybe so but I can't have you two here, for one, you're hurt two, Madara is targeting you two more than me, I can tell he is."

Pa frog then said, "You know if we leave, there is a chance we might not be able to fuse with you again, we were lucky to fuse with this Sage form correctly, neither us don't know if we'll be able to fuse again or if you'll even be a Sage after we leave." Naruto sighed and said, "I'm willing to take that chance so please go." Ma and Pa nodded, "Fukasaku," Ma started. "Let's go." Pa nodded, "Good luck Naruto boy." Naruto chuckled as the two frogs on his shoulders turned into smoke.

"Getting rid of the newlyweds already?" Madara asked playfully. Naruto nodded, "It's just you and me." Madara chuckled and threw the scythe handle to the ground, "That's useless now…" Madara stepped forward and held up a hand to the handle of his fan. Naruto held out his hand, "Rasen-Shuriken!" Naruto held the giant chakra shuriken in his hand and threw it. Madara swung his fan and loud screeching sounds ensued and a big explosion. Naruto was hit by a cloud of brown smoke.

"What is going on?" Naruto said to himself. The smoke cleared its way and there stood Madara holding the fan by his side and in front of him were large gash marks in the ground. "What did you do?" Madara said, "This fan, I can project my Sharingan onto it and use it as a…jutsu mirror of sorts…" Naruto replied, "Jutsu mirror?" Madara nodded and said, "I can use this to counteract any jutsu you throw at me."

Naruto finally understood what he was saying and swallowed. "Got to get rid of that fan," Naruto thought to himself. Naruto ran forward and threw a powerful punch, Madara spun away and used his fan to block it, and Naruto first saw a reflection of him and then was knocked back into the ground. Naruto staggered up and said, "What…was…that?" Madara replied, "I told you it mirrors…anything, Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, even Genjutsu."

Naruto thought to himself, "All that I have then is Sage jutsu. I'll have to use Frog Kumite for Taijutsu," Naruto chuckled. He walked forward leisurely, "What are you up to?" Madara thought to himself. Madara swung his fan forward and a powerful of wind shot forth, it barreled forward toward Naruto but he disappeared and appeared Madara, "What? My Sharingan didn't notice…" Madara thought to himself and Naruto kicked him in the side with his Sage strength.

Madara felt the world around him turn into nothing as he was hit with the inhuman strength of Naruto's hit. Madara remembered traveling through the air at a rapid speed and then hitting something, as far as he knew he was stuck in a rock or something. Naruto was holding him by the back of his neck, "Time to end this, Madara…" Naruto started, "I'm sorry Sasuke…" Naruto punched him in the back and held his fist there. Naruto channeled natural energy into his body and let it flow into Madara.

"What are…you doing to me?" Madara was frozen in place; he looked down and saw his legs were turned into stone. Madara gasped and started trying to break free but he could not. Soon his whole body was turned into stone. Naruto let go and stepped around it and stepped back, he stared at the motionless statue, "I hope you find peace now, Sasuke…and Madara." Naruto said a prayer and soon walked away.

Naruto stopped in his tracks and heard a writhing sound; Naruto flung around and was crushed into the ground. He was being held in place by a large flaming hand, Susano'o. Naruto averted his eyes over to the body of Susano'o. Madara was still frozen into stone but now Ameterasu danced around him and the stone starting cracking apart, "Impossible! I turned him into stone all the way through…" Naruto thought.

The stone statue was totally engulfed in Ameterasu, soon a cracking sound and Madara stood there but now changed. His hair was wild and he skin had turned dark grey, his eyes were black and now had a more sinister looking Sharingan in them. He brushed aside his now grey hair and looked up. "Hmm…it seems…Sasuke's curse mark was never fully destroyed…" Naruto stared in disbelief as Madara looked over his new form. "I don't really like, makes me look ugly but since there's no ladies around…" Madara held out his arm and Susano'o picked up Naruto and squeezed him tightly and threw him head-first into a large rock.

Naruto staggered up and rubbed his bleeding forehead. Madara looked to his side and picked up his fan from the ground and brushed dirt from it. "It seems that little transformation happened at the right time…I thought for a second I was finished." Naruto summoned his Sage staff; he was nearly out of ideas on what to do. "He's changed, just like Sasuke…" Naruto made an hand sign and focused his natural chakra. The cut on his forehead slowly started to heal itself with a bright green light.

Madara held out his arm, and so Susano'o mimicked his movements, the sword of Susano'o turned into a crossbow. "Now die Naruto." Susano'o shot the giant arrow at Naruto. He jumped forward and jumped on the arrow stem and jumped off the end in an all out attack. Before Susano'o raised its shield, Naruto plunged into the body of Susano'o. Naruto threw a punch but Madara weaved away from it and backhanded Naruto across his face, Naruto staggered back but swung his leg and kicked Madara in the side with his Sage strength, Madara groaned but the protection from the curse mark and Susano'o around them lessened the impact greatly.

Naruto gasped as Madara reached forward and grabbed his neck and choke slammed him into ground, Naruto double kicked Madara in the upper chest, Madara staggered back and Naruto hopped into his feet and side kicked forward, Madara dodged the first kick but Naruto brought his leg back and kicked Madara in the side of the head. While they fought Susano'o mimicked Madara's every move around them as he moved.

Madara caught Naruto's leg and lunged forward and head-butted him. Naruto saw stars for a moment but it was all Madara needed to wrap his arms around him and suplex him into the ground. Naruto's head hit the ground with a loud thump but Naruto wriggled out of it and flipped his legs up and got out of Madara's grip, he stood on the feet and balled both his hands into one brought it one Madara's face, Madara's head thumped into the ground but Madara swung his legs and got them around Naruto's neck, he swung him back over onto the ground and put him in a chokehold.

"Give up; maybe I won't snap your neck like a twig!" Naruto struggled against him but eventually stopped moving. "I thought so…," Madara chuckled felt something beneath him. A blast of light burst out of the ground and hit Madara in the back, Naruto exploded from the ground with Rasengan in his hand, Madara shot straight into the air and Susano'o with him.

Madara hit the apex of his ascent and turned around with anger in his eyes, "Die!" Madara forced the hands of Susano'o down upon Naruto but he was able to dodge it.

"Grrr….," Madara growled. He felt his back on fire, not from being hit with Rasengan but something was coming out from hid back. He felt it rip his skin apart, Madara yelped in pain and looked back, and two large wings that looked like hands had burst from him. Madara willed them to flap and suspend him in the air. "I could get used to this…" Madara remembered something he learned about the curse mark, staying in its transformed level for too long will result in a permanent transformation, "Sounds good to me."

With Madara's transformation, Susano'o sprouted wings as well, "This is a new form of Susano'o alright…," Madara stated with a smile.

Naruto dodged Susano'o long writhing arms on the ground, and jumped off the wrist off the wrist of one of them and jumped for Madara. He thrust forward the sage staff to stab him but Madara teleported away and appeared behind Naruto, "Here, this is for you." Madara stabbed Naruto through the shoulder with one of wing's fingers turned into a long blade. "GAH!" Naruto screamed.

Madara held Naruto in the air for what seemed like forever. Drops of Naruto's blood fell to the floor, plants sprouting from where his blood fell, "That's a neat trick," Madara started. "Maybe we can re-grow this whole forest…" Madara stabbed Naruto through with all ten fingers of the wings. Naruto screamed in pain. Naruto writhed around, trying to get away but he was losing consciousness, "No, stay awake. You have to!" Naruto thought.

But he felt darkness clouding his vision, soon nothing.

"What are you doing?" Naruto heard a voice ask angrily. Naruto turned around and saw the Kyuubi in its cage licking its paw. "I'm dead?" The Kyuubi replied, "No, then I'd be dead too stupid." Naruto got upset, "You don't have to talk to me like that." The Kyuubi replied, "Or what? You'll use your sage powers on me? You gained the powers of 99 Sages and you still could not defeat Madara." Naruto held his head down, "…" The Kyuubi lightly growled, "I used my power to save you." Naruto looked up, "Why? Why would you help me after I sealed you again?" The Kyuubi replied, "Truth be told, I grew fond of being your Bijuu boy. Naruto was surprised, "Are you saying you like me?" The Kyuubi replied, "We have grown to be dependent on each other without needing each other."

Naruto started, "So what do you propose?" The Kyuubi replied, "I will give it to you." Naruto questioned, "Give what to me?" The Kyuubi then said, "My power, all of it." Naruto took in a breath and said, "Why would you do that?" The Kyuubi replied, "Well you're not the only one who hates Madara Uchiha, now take it, shut up, and kill him!" Naruto was washed over by red chakra.

Madara still held Naruto in the air, "I think I'll hang you up like a trophy." Madara snickered and reached forward, "But for now I'll take your headband for a memento." Madara took it off his head, Naruto's head arched back and bounced forward.

Naruto's eyes opened, he felt it, the power of the sages and Kyuubi working as one. He flooded himself with it. "What the fuck?" Madara yelled. Naruto was surrounded in red and white aura. Madara pulled his wings out and held up his arms to shield himself. Naruto turned around, suspended in air. Naruto raised his hand up and Madara was bombarded with massive wind of chakra.

"Impossible!" Madara screamed. Madara was pushed back, Susano'o followed. Madara growled and said, "You may have gotten a second wind but you'll still lose!" Madara shot out his arm and Susano'o threw out its arm, Susano'o rushed forward his shield to tackle Naruto, he held his arm back and punched forward with his new power, Susano'o was stopped in its tracks. The chakra being given off was so powerful, the clouds above them parted.

"No…no way, you are…get away from me you freak!"

Madara spit out Ameterasu and snaked around the shield and engulfed Naruto. Madara smirked but stopped when Ameterasu spread into the air behind the shield, "What happened!?" Madara saw light swirling from behind the shield now and heard Susano'o grumbling, "It can't be!" The shield exploded into shards, a massive Rasen-Shuriken ripped through the arm of Susano'o, Madara swung its sword, Naruto shielded himself with Rasen-Shuriken and the whirlwind of chakra ripped around the sword until it dispersed, Naruto flew forward and slammed it into the chest of Susano'o. "No!" Naruto broke through the body, Susano'o dispersed. Naruto flew toward Madara a loud explosion shot it into the air.

"LOOK AT THAT!" Kiba pointed up in the air at the cloud of smoke in the air. Ino turned to Neji and said, "Use your Byakugan!" Neji nodded, "Already on it." Neji focused his eyes on the explosion and saw two figures covered in smoke fall from the larger ball of smoke, they both hit the ground, and "So what is it?" Gaara asked. Neji just nodded in an "I have no fucking idea." way.

On the battlefield, the two figures of smoke hit the ground. One dispersed and Naruto stood tall. The other dispersed and there was Madara on his knees, coughing up blood. "I didn't think you would survive that." Naruto started. Madara replied, "Me neither…" Madara looked back and his wings were gone. He used them to shield himself but was still damaged nonetheless.

Madara stood up. "For what you have done to me, I will make you suffer…" Naruto ran forward to end it but Madara held his hand forward. Naruto was stopped in his tracks. "It can't be…" Naruto stood in front of Sasuke. "You…you're dead…" Sasuke replied, "No Naruto I'm not dead…" Sasuke walked forward and smiled, "How are you my old friend?" Naruto replied, "You called me your friend…you…" Sasuke replied, "Come on…let's get out of here." Naruto smiled and shook Sasuke's hand. ZAP!

Naruto fell to his knees and coughed up blood. He looked at himself, he was no longer a sage nor did he have the Kyuubi's power. "What happened to me…?" Madara stepped forward, one eye closed, "I used something that ended in me losing one my Sharingan eyes forever…Izanagi."

Naruto looked up, "Izanagi?" Madara nodded and said, "For 30 seconds, I can destroy the barrier between reality and thought and make whatever I think real. I brought Sasuke back and you fell for it easily. The price was one my Sharingan eyes. All in all it was worth it to kill you." Madara picked up Naruto by his neck and back handed him. Naruto spit out blood, Madara threw him to the ground and stomped on his chest. The force either cracked or broke his ribs. Naruto screamed in pain.

After a sound beating, Naruto was motionless, covered in blood. "Now I'll kill you and your friends and maybe take a nap." Madara summoned a long katana. Madara held it over his neck and brought it down. A bright flash bounced on Naruto's face.

Naruto opened his eyes and saw Madara bleeding from nose and coughing up and there was a large quantity of blood seeping out from the hole in his chest plate. White lightning burst from it.

"NARUTO," Kakashi yelled, his Raikiri sunk in Madara's back, "Now!"

Madara growled and spun around and impaled Kakashi on the katana, Madara brought Kakashi to his face, and "Your Sharingan eye is mine." Madara flung Kakashi off the sword and to the ground. Madara walked over and tore off the headband covering his eye. Kakashi tried to defend himself but Madara just beat him down. Naruto couldn't move, he was frozen, and all his bones were probably broken.

"Are you going to give up?" Fukasaku asked. Naruto replied, "I failed, even with the power of 99 sages and the Kyuubi, I failed!" Naruto burst into tears as he watched Kakashi try to defend himself. Naruto stared from the black area of his mind. "You still can do something." Jiraiya said. Naruto stared at him, "Here…" Jiraiya handed him the staff of 99 sages.

Naruto blinked and found himself in the real world again, the staff of 99 sages inexplicably in his hand. "I can do it, I know I can!" Naruto said to himself, he pulled himself up. How we he was able to stand with so many broken bones were mystery, it was most likely the natural chakra. Naruto hobbled forward to Madara and Kakashi.

Madara had his index and middle finger above his Sharingan eye and his thumb under. He was slowly pushing in to pop out the eye but Naruto reached out the staff. Madara turned around, "You, fine if that's what you want I'll kill you first." Madara got up and walked toward Naruto. He reached out his arm but something grabbed him. "What is this? I can't move." Madara struggled but couldn't move. Naruto waved the staff and Madara could see them. A person with their arms around him was holding him in place. Holding his arm was Jiraiya. "Who are you people!?" Madara screamed. Someone appeared behind him.

"We are the ones who deal with your kind, the despicable, the evil, the incorrigible. We are the Sages." Madara replied, "The sages?" The sage behind replied, "yes, and we have passed judgment on you, Madara Uchiha. You are the most evil thing I have seen in 100 years. Your blatant disregard for human life has disgusted me." Madara replied, "I will not be judged by the likes of you!"

Ameterasu appeared around the sage but since he did not have a physical form, it died out in the shining outline of the sage. Madara's one eye widened. "Wha-what are you gonna do to me?" The Sage replied, "The question is what _we_ will do to you." Madara said, "'We'"

99 more greenish outlines of people appeared around him, "You will be punished by all 99 Sages." Jiraiya said. Madara pleaded, "No, please!" Naruto raised the staff and it shone a bright white and green. The 99 sages all made a large circle, Naruto making the 100th link in the circle. They all held out their hands.

"Ancient Sage Seal: Tree of Punishment," They all said simultaneously. Numerous seal appeared all over Madara's body, he tried to shake them off but he could not relieve himself of them. "Please! I'm begging you!" Madara screamed. Jiraiya replied, "How far you've fallen, groveling for your life. I thought you would die with at least some semblance of dignity." Madara was struck silent. A large wind whirled around and engulfed him. He lost control of his body. He was totally engulfed in white light.

"Good job Naruto, I'm so proud of you son," Naruto felt the warm voice of his father in his ears, "Thanks dad."

The light started to die away. A pulsating, glowing object stood stationary at the center. Naruto walked up to it and touched it. It stopped glowing and there was a large tree. "What you do to him?" Naruto asked. Jiraiya replied, "We turned him into something that would help humanity, we turned him into a tree, he will never regain his old form, he will be this way till the end of time." Naruto ran his hands over the trunk of the tree. "I guess it's a fitting end." Jiraiya put his ghostly hand on his shoulder, "Good job son." Naruto smiled. Naruto turned around and he was alone, no sages, no Jiraiya, nothing. Naruto looked over and saw Kakashi lying motionless, "Kakashi, you alive!?" Kakashi raised his hand and gave him a thumb up.

Naruto smirked and slid down against the tree. He rested his head against the Madara tree and closed his eyes.

"What is this in my nose?" Naruto thought, "Oxygen." Naruto nudged his hands around; he felt tubes, fresh linens. The smell of apples and cinnamon wafted to his nose. "Something smells great," Naruto thought. Naruto heard something indiscriminate over a P.A. system somewhere far away. Naruto opened his eyes, he was back in Konoha. He looked over and saw a nurse arranging a bouquet of flowers in his window sill. Naruto mumbled something and the nurse noticed and walked over, "Did you say something?" Naruto was able to breathe out, "Water…" The nurse smiled and took a cup of water and put a straw in it, "Here, small sips." The nurse let Naruto drink it all, he smacked his lips and smiled, "Where is everyone?"

The nurse smiled, "Oh your friends are all doing ok, Mr.….Hatake was messed up just as badly as you were and he's still in intensive care but everyone else is doing alright, would you like to see them?" Naruto nodded, the nurse said, "Ok, be right back." The nurse walked out.

5 minutes later Neji, Gaara, and Lee walked in the room. Gaara walked over to Naruto's bed, "Seems you overdid it huh?" Naruto chuckled and said, "Fuck you." Gaara smirked. Lee walked over with tears in his eyes, "I'm so happy you're alright!" Neji sighed and said, "It's you're not dead." Naruto smirked and said, "Glad to see you too, Neji." Neji grinned and waved his hand and walked out.

After sharing what happened with Gaara and Lee, they heard someone yelling outside, "Where is he?" They heard loud footsteps and Ino rushed into the room. Ino stared dumbfounded at Naruto, her face started to pout up and get red, "Let's get out of here," Lee suggested to Gaara, he nodded and they wanted to get out so badly they jumped out the window.

Ino broke down in hysterical tears, I-I-I thought you were…I saw the big explosion and…" Naruto waved and said, "Shh, honey it's alright. See? I'm just fine honey bunny." Ino still cried, "It's not that I'm really sad, I'm so so so happy you're alive…" Naruto smiled and sat up with a groan. Ino rushed over, "Don't push yourself!" Naruto said, "I'm alright…see…?"

Naruto put his arms around her and held her tight. He held her head on his shoulder and stroked her head. "It's alright honey…" Ino continued crying for a few minutes but stopped, she looked up and said, "Are you ok?" Naruto softly kissed her lips and said, "Yes."

Ino then said, "What now?" Naruto replied, "'what now…'" Naruto looked in her eyes and said, "Let's just be together ok?" Ino smiled and wiped the tears away, "I'd like that." Naruto held her head in his hand, "Come here…" Naruto smiled and kissed Ino.

**Well that's it everyone. That's the end, it was a fun run but that's the end, no more. Seriously, it's done. I'm not joking, there won't be another chapter, maybe a spin-off, we'll see. But I'm done here, yes I'm talking to you buddy. And you bucko, I'm done. I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing it for you. See ya next time true believers. (Did I just seriously say that ****)**


End file.
